Zimbabwe's karate squad grabbed three bronze medals at the African Youth Games in Angola, and coach Winston Nyanhete said the kids are heading the right way but need way more competition to keep leveling up. Bradley Kadzombe snagged bronze in the boys kumite division over 76kg, while Rumbidzai Makamache scored third place in individual kata and another team bronze with Makanaka Mulopa and Georgina Mhondera. Nyanhete was pumped for Kadzombe after the fighter missed the podium at the regional games earlier this year.
The coach warned that funding issues are killing their chances of getting enough international exposure. Zimbabwe is hosting a World Karate Federation Youth Camp in Harare next March with Olympic champions running the sessions, and Nyanhete thinks that's their shot at catching up to powerhouse countries like Egypt and Japan. He said regionally, they're doing fine, but continental tournaments and world championships are where they need to show up more often.
The coach warned that funding issues are killing their chances of getting enough international exposure. Zimbabwe is hosting a World Karate Federation Youth Camp in Harare next March with Olympic champions running the sessions, and Nyanhete thinks that's their shot at catching up to powerhouse countries like Egypt and Japan. He said regionally, they're doing fine, but continental tournaments and world championships are where they need to show up more often.
