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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S full contact karate team that took part in the Shorin Kempo Kaikan Regional tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday clinched six medals. The tournament featured participants from Swaziland, Zimbabwe and hosts South Africa. Zimbabwe got their medals through Pumulani Maphosa, who scooped gold in the men Under-65kg.

In the open category Brian Chiringa claimed a silver medal and Tangayi Mhlanga scooped bronze. The gold medal went to South Africa’s Thabani Mndebele. In the men’s Under-75kg Shadreck Chigombe came fourth.

In the women’s section Zimbabwe’s lightweight champion, Precious Kazembe, was fourth while Sharleen Amoda, in the open division, got a bronze. They also got trophies for their efforts. Zimbabwe Karate Union technical director full contact, Kumbirai Musinami, hailed the team for representing the country well.

“This time around we had quite a number of fighters participating for the first time and those are the athletes who did not get medals. But it was a good learning curve for them. “From the reports I am getting they did well.

“This is a very competitive tournament, for us to get a gold medal, silver and those three bronze medals was good. “Those are the fighters we are looking at for the world tournament and it means they are on track while we are trying to develop other athletes.

“It simply shows the competition is tough out there. But for us it’s good because we had a number of fighters participating for the first time there,” said Musinami. Musinami said the tournament presented them with a platform to expose some of their fighters to a higher level of competition ahead of the All-Africa So-kyokushin in August and the World championships in October.

“We are on a developmental drive and we want to have as many champions as we can. From what I am seeing we got a picture of what we can expect when we host the Africa tournament in August.

“Our fighters are showing that our stamina is much better, it’s only that these youngsters meet a lot more experienced fighters,” said Musinami. Former world champion, Samson Muripo, who was one of the officials who travelled with the team, said they did well.

“The tournament has gained international features and so many fighters. So our fighters did well travelling under very difficult circumstances,” said Muripo. The team was made up of fighters from different full contact styles in the country and is expected back home today.