Local karatekas set to compete in regional tourney Sensei Tawanda Mufundisi

Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

AFTER competing at the International Karate Organisation Nakamura Zimbabwe Champ of Champs tournament over the weekend, some of the karatekas are set to take part in a regional tournament in Cape Town, South Africa next month.

The weekend’s event featured fighters from different styles.

Some of the participants are part of the Zimbabwe Karate Union team that is expected to compete in the IKO Nakamura 1st Championship 2022, to be held in Cape Town on July 23.

ZKU vice president Tawanda Mufundisi said they want to send a 10-member team for the regional tournament made up of seasoned and junior fighters.

The selected fighters are training under the guidance of ZKU technical director Kumbirai Musinami, George Mutambu, who is the manager and Mufundisi.

The tournament is organised by IKO Nakamura but is open to other styles.

“Since we are coming from Covid-19, the selection has been through local tournaments. We also need experience, so we checked on our seasoned karatekas.

“This is not an easy tournament, it’s a big tournament, most karatekas from the region are participating as people are coming from the Covid-19 induced break,” said Mufundisi.

Some of the karatekas that were outstanding over the weekend include Robert Mashingaidze, who continued with his dominance in local events when he knocked out John Magada to win the Men’s Open weight division.

In the junior’s section, Wellington Kusikwenyu has also been on the rise and he emerged the best technical junior fighter of the day. He won the Under-40kg division.

Mashingaidze and Kusikwenyu are also expected to be part of the team to compete in Cape Town.

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