The Zimbabwe karate team has stepped up its preparations for the 10th edition of the All-Africa Games to be staged in Mozambique from September 3 to18.
Facing the prospect of coming up against continental karate powerhouses like Egypt, Tunisia, Senegal and Botswana, the Zimbabwe team’s preparations for the quadrennial multi-sport event is already in full momentum.
The seven-member team, which is dominantly comprised of men, has been rotating weekend training camps between Harare, Gweru and Kwekwe under the watchful eyes of head coach Paul Danisa and his assistant Frank Muvhakachi.
It will be the second time Zimbabwe returns to Maputo in four months, after having been there at the Zone VI Championships that were held in May, where the country played second fiddle to Botswana and South Africa.
Danisa said the country is not sending a ladies’ team to Maputo because of the teams’ inconsistency. The team will do battle in kumite, individual kata as well as team kata.
Tried and tested karatekas make the team which has captain David Dube, Victor Bhunu, Winston Nyanhete, Simbarashe and Kudakwashe Chihlava, Justin Mashiri and Botswana-based Gondo Gondo.
