ZNKF eye busy 2022 calendar

02 Jan, 2022 - 00:01 0 Views
ZNKF eye busy 2022 calendar Joe Rugwete

The Sunday Mail

Neville Dube
Sports Reporter

FOLLOWING their acceptance into the global family, the Zimbabwe National Karate Federation (ZNKF) have a busy 2022 in which they will also seek to spread the sport to various parts of the country.

The ZNKF were officially accredited as the sole representative body of the sport by the World Karate Federation (WKF) in November.

It effectively ended the battle for recognition between the Zimbabwe Karate Union (ZKU) and ZNKF.
In terms of the calendar of events, ZNKF plan to hold 25 competitions this year.

The federation’s president, Joe Rugwete, said they were hopeful Covid-19 would not disrupt their programmes.

Rugwete heads a strong committee which includes his deputy Lizzie Mupure, secretary-general Tirivenyu Mutema, Willard Muza (medical commission), media manager Osweld Ureke, Fredson Shavi (technical director), Chipo Mashingaidze (women’s commission), David Mandengenda and Elizabeth Mukabeta (men and women’s team managers respectively), and Ndabezinhle Mazibuko (legal commission).

Last year, the coronavirus pandemic, however, knocked out the committee’s plans to get their inaugural year off to a flying start, restricting them to just two events.

Rugwete said they are now in a stronger position to operate even against the backdrop of Covid-19.
This year’s events will begin with the 50-man Challenge to be held at City Bowling Club in Harare on February 12.

“The highlights of the year will be the Region 5 Karate Championships, where I was recently elected the Region’s president,” Rugwete said.

“We also look forward to the successful decentralisation efforts that we are making as we have spread events throughout the country. “We have learnt that Covid-19 gets mitigated by getting vaccinated, tested and treated early.”

He said their athletes had also ensured they remain fit throughout.

“Fitness levels have made our athletes deal with the pandemic better. We have also learnt to embrace technology more as we hold more virtual meetings and training sessions. “We have a medical commission headed by Dr Willard Muza; he has been active in encouraging all our members to be vaccinated,” he added.

“SRC (Sports and Recreation Commission) protocols also encourage the same and we have constantly spread the message to our members.

“We only held two events due to the lockdown, the Kurai Invitation at the Aquatic Complex and the Japanese Ambassador Cup at the City Sports Centre.

“Both events showed that we are getting more and better organised.”

There are also regional and international events where ZNKF expects to take part.

The international tournaments include the World Games, which will be held in Birmingham, England; the UFAK Championship in Bamako, Mali; FISU UWC Combat Games in Ekaterinburg, Russia; and the WKF Cadet-Junior and Under-21 World Championships, which will be held in Konya, Turkey.

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