HARARE - Registration for the 3rd Dominican Convent Clash of the Titans Inter-Schools Karate Tournament scheduled for Harare closed at the end of day yesterday with at least 33 schools and 120 confirming their participation.
The tournament was initiated in 2015 and named Clash of the Titans by former Dominican Convent captains Naomi Mandengenda and Ruvimbo Madongorere who were part of the renowned elite Zimbabwe junior karate team.
The schools’ karate coach Winstone Nyanhete is happy with the prospects of the event growing bigger and better this year.
“In 2016 we couldn’t find a good time to slot the tournament in between the school calendar and the Zimbabwe Karate Union calendar so the second edition only came in February 2017 and now we are on our third edition, the registration closed today (yesterday) and we will not be taking anymore entries as from tomorrow (today) onwards,” Nyanhete told the Daily News.
“This competition is important in that it gives exposure to the students doing karate in schools because most of the events they usually compete in are either provincial or national karate events.”
He said a lot was also at stake for the schools as well.
“This is an opportunity for children in schools to showcase their talents within the school system in front of other students,” Nyanhete added.
“This competition helps to encourage growth of karate within schools around the country, promoting the participation of karate at school level.
“It is a platform for the provincial and national karate bodies to identify talent within the school system.”
Participation age will range between seven years to 18 years, starting from primary level and all the way to high school and will showcase categories such as kata boys and girls, kata girls and boys junior and kata male and female juniors.
The same applies for kumite.