FORMER World karate champion Samson Muripo believes the inclusion of karate on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games programme will help develop the sport, while also giving local karatekas an opportunity to showcase their talent at the world’s biggest sporting stage.
BY TAWANDA TADERERA
Muripo’s comments come after a recent landmark vote by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow karate and four other sports — baseball and softball, sport climbing, skateboarding and surfing — into the Summer Games.
And Muripo, who in 2009 became Zimbabwe’s first black world champion in any sport following a remarkable performance at the Kyokushin World Karate Championship in Japan, reckons Olympic inclusion will create many opportunities for local talent.
“This is a long-awaited development, something we have been hoping for and a chance for local karatekas to showcase their talent to the world,” Muripo told Standardsport last week.
“It [Olympic inclusion] brings the sport into equal standing with other sporting disciplines, it will certainly raise the profile of the sport.”
The Zimbabwe former Sportsperson of the Year, who carries the title of “Saiko Sensei” (head of all instructors in the style), said he was hopeful that the prospect of competing at the Olympics would lure more people to take up the sport.
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“I feel this is a milestone decision and it will do a great deal of good to karate in general, participating nations and the individual athletes. I do not think that this will change karate in a negative way. In fact, it should aid karate to develop in a positive way by attracting more participants, which I believe will help the sport spread its wings and grow.”
Meanwhile, Muripo described the Second All Africa So-Kyokushin Karate Championship held at the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex last week as a huge success after local karatekas put on a dominant display.
“The tournament was a huge success and we had a lot of people from Chitungwiza who came to support the day while our own athletes did us proud by retaining most of the medals. The event was bigger and better — but staging it was tough due to limited finances, but we pulled through and the day was a success,” he said.
The tournament attracted participants from South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe, who dominated the event after scooping an impressive 42 medals.
Zimbabwe is now focusing on the First So-Kyokushin World Karate Tournament, which will be held in Japan from October 21 to 23 and Muripo said they are appealing for assistance from the government and corporate world to make the trip.
