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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ALL is set for the Zimbabwe So-Kyokushin Youth Karate Championships today at Magamba Hall in Warren Park.
The tournament will see athletes from different full-contact styles competing in six weight categories from Under-25kg to over 65kg.
The event is being hosted by the Zimbabwe So-Kyokushin Union.
So-Kyokushin Union technical director, Kumbirai Musinami said they were looking forward to an exciting event as most of the styles have confirmed their participation.

“All kyokushin groups confirmed and shotokan in Mbare have also confirmed. We are happy, even the Zimbabwe Karate Union have helped us with distributing invitations and encouraged everyone to attend.

“So it’s going to be a big tournament,” said Musinami.
Musinami said there has been an increase in terms of juniors taking up the sport and they are expecting to see some tough matches today as the young karatekas fight for honours in the respective categories.

“In the past we had only full contact styles but this time we have semi-full contact styles like shotokan. They are a semi-contact style but when they train they train in full contact.

“We are expecting a very tough competition especially in the Under-65 category, it has always been a very competitive group so I don’t expect anything less.

“There is quite a significant increase in the youngsters that are coming in which is exciting because without them there is no future. It’s going to be quite a lively day and I am sure we are going to see a very good standard of karate,” said Musinami.

The So-Kyokushin Union technical director said registration closes today to allow participants coming from outside Harare the opportunity to compete.

Other styles that are competing include IFK and its branch chief and country representative, Tawanda Mufundisi, said they were happy with the team they were fielding.

“We are fielding 10 young karatekas starting from Under-14 to Under-20. Expect better results from our fighters because we have been preparing for this event. These are our guys that have been taking medals in the juniors’ tournaments. We have Nokutenda Marunga, she is a girl, Eddie Makoni and Jean-Claude Mufundisi.

“We last had a tournament in 2012 and it’s because of sponsorship. It all comes back to money and even us the senior guys failed to go for some of our international tournaments.

“We were not stable that’s why we could not stage any local tournaments, it was bad.
“However, this year we are going to have more local tournaments, we have a full schedule,” said Mufundisi.

Kyokushin-kan is also expected to take part in today’s competition.