The Sunday Mail
ADMIRE CHINGOZHORO would not say no to a fight as he grew up in the rough and tumble of Harare’s Glen View suburb.
Admire Chingozhoro
A story is told of how he brought an abrupt end to a social soccer match after telling the referee to blow for full-time as he wanted to sit and read the newspaper inside the centre circle.
Madyira, as the Zimbabwe national karate team member is known, reputedly never lost a street fight.
Those dark days are long gone now and Chingozhoro is a devout member of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect.
He still fights, however, though as a professional.
Chingozhoro recently won the Second So- Kyokushin International Karate Tournament Ohishi Cup in Iran.
He is humility personified, a far cry from the boy who stopped a soccer match to read a paper.
“I thank God because without Him there is nothing you can achieve,” says the 37-year old heavyweight fighter. “Going into the tournament I did not imagine I was going to win because my previous seven appearances at world tournaments had all ended in disappointment. However, it all came together in Iran and I am delighted to have finally won an international competition.”
The magnitude of his triumph did not sink in until Chingozhoro arrived to a rousing welcome at the Harare International Airport last week.
“It was even difficult to talk when I was interviewed on arrival from Iran, the emotions were overwhelming. Seeing my fellow karatekas, comrades and ministers such as Chris Mutsvangwa left me tongue-tied. I am grateful for the love my fellow countrymen showed me,” he said.
Fresh from the Iranian victory, Chingozhoro and his mentor – former world champion Sensei Sam Muripo – are already planning on how to conquer at next month’s Argentina World Open.
“We are already focusing on that, and we hope to start training on Monday (tomorrow). Sensei Samson Muripo has been very supportive, I owe him a lot. He has helped me a lot,” says the fighter who loves his sadza with chicken.
Chingozhoro, a Senpai who also finds time to train kids, reckons with adequate sponsorship the country can produce more world champions.
“We have the challenge of resources, we struggle to get sponsorship for a number of tournaments and that chokes our growth. If we can get more support we will produce more world class karatekas.”
Chingozhoro trains more than 60 children in Glen View and uses his childhood story to preach the gospel of discipline to his protégés.
“I tell my students that school should be first, I always insist on them being in the top ten. We don’t want them to do karate only while neglecting school,” he asserts. “I want them to avoid making the mistakes I made growing up. I was notorious and believed in settling issues through fighting.
“However, when I started training karate with Sensei Jamali we were taught discipline and slowly I began to change. Being a Christian has also moulded me into a better man,” says the Dynamos Football Club supporter.
