The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
FOR all his achievements, Samson Muripo appears to have finally received his just rewards.
This follows a four-part documentary series titled “Shihan Samson Muripo-World Karate Champion” that has been released.
It is the brainchild of Yakotent and First Mutual Holdings.
Part of the Yako Story Initiative, which is designed to shine a spotlight on the country’s unknown and raw talent, the docuseries will offer a never-before-seen insight and footage into the life and career of one of the country’s most distinguished fighters.
The bad news, however, is that the first episode dropped to a lukewarm reception on Friday morning, with the five-minute introductory clip attracting criticism for glossing over the martial arts master’s origins
story and leaving the viewers short-changed.
Producer Tafadzwa Munyaradzi refused to press the panic button, pleading for patience as there are still three more episodes for the series to cover.
What the underwhelming introduction has done is put unwarranted focus on the remaining three episodes.
Personal Life
One of the key successes of Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” documentary, which now stands as the standard-bearer of the genre, is that it gave viewers an insight not only into the NBA legend’s thought process during his title runs but also his personal life.
The impact the death of his father, James Jordan Snr, had on his career was one of the key anecdotes to come out of the documentary.
While the 43-year-old Muripo remains one of the most accomplished and recognised sportspersons of the modern era in Zimbabwe sport, not much is known of the man away from the mat.
The Kyokushin master is a very private person and this is one of the reasons the first episode was criticised.
Lacking were voices from Muripo’s family, close friends and those who might have known the man before his rise to fame, and shared with him the journey to the top.
National disaster, pandemic & grief
Munyaradzi says Muripo’s two world title wins in 2009 and 2019, the first of which saw him become the first African to do so, will be the centre of the documentary.
However, the 2019 Cyclone Idai is one of the key events that occurred at the time of his second conquest and deserves special attention.
He is one of the few who miraculously escaped the wrath of Cyclone Idai, the worst tropical storm to hit Southern Africa, leaving a trail of destruction in eastern parts of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.
Chimanimani, where Muripo spent the first 17 years of his life and is home to his immediate family members, was one of the most affected areas in Zimbabwe.
Over 500 people died, while thousands of families were displaced, and the effect of that natural disaster, which came soon after his victory, deserves attention.
Another event that lies closer to Muripo’s 2019 conquest in Russia was the death of the Kyokushin master’s father.
The Russian odyssey was nearly abandoned, as Muripo received news of his father’s death moments before taking to the mat.
It took some convincing from colleagues and the decision to dedicate the tournament to his father’s memory for him to participate in the tournament.
Muripo says everything he has in his karate career was because of his father’s teachings, sacrifices and the hard work.
All this clearly deserve an episode.
A fitting finale
Muripo’s voice and insights must dominate the entire documentary and a story about him cannot be complete without details of his journey into the sport.
The moment he decided to turn professional and how his conquests have changed his life also need to be explored.
More importantly, the title of Shihan and its significance to the man himself warrant a line or two.
Further, fans need to know the work he has done so far and his future plans.
