The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
WHEN his mind focuses on the forthcoming International Judo Federation World Championships, Tapiwa Pavari sees an opportunity to show what he is made of.
The 21-year-old judoka will be one of Zimbabwe’s two participants at the global competition in Budapest, Hungary from August 28 to September 3, 2017.
Pavari will participate in the Under-60kg category, while his compatriot Brian Chiminya (19) will battle it out in the 66kg category.
As the day of reckoning draws closer, Pavari has intensified his training.
“I used to train four days a week, but I have added two more days to my programme. I train at Tafara 2 Community Centre (in Harare),” he said.
“This is a great opportunity which every athlete would like to have. The feeling of being selected for the world championships is something I cannot express with words. It’s a dream come true for me.”
The World Championships have come at a time when Pavari is feeling good about his art. “I have fought in regional games before and the national coach believes that now is the time for me to compete in tournaments of higher magnitudes since I am at my peak as far as age and skill is concerned,” he said.
Like most martial arts exponents, Pavari thinks of himself as a peacemaker. “My love for martial arts is not because I enjoy street fighting but the fact that I can practice fighting techniques in a non-violent manner since it is a sport or a discipline as well as a unique form of art.
“In the high-density suburbs where we come from people always try to nudge martial artists into fights but I am smart and appreciate that I do this for a living and not street acclaim,” said Pavari.
