Mtisi flies countrys flag high

He crushed South Africas Thabo Mbatha in a thrilling final to walk away with a gold medal. It was a tough challenge that gave me some injuries, but Im happy I managed to pull through, fight to the end and win, said Mtisi. It gives me a lot of confidence and now I will enter any international competition knowing that Im strong enough to face any challenges that comes with it. It feels great when I win because I know its not just about me but its about representing my country.
His countryman Austin Mucheni scooped a silver medal in the middle weight competition while Tendai Chaparadza fell in the last eight to a tough South African nation. Mtisi was voted the Best Local Karateka of the Arosume Properties Kyokushin Karate Merit Awards last year after proving an invincible force to reckon with in the Open Weight of the 2010 Japanese Ambassador Cup.
The 25-year-old fighter announced his arrival on the international scene when he championed the Ashihara World Cup open weight competition in Cape Town, last year. Previously, Mtisi had proved a champion in the making when he scooped a bronze medal in the same category of the 2008 Last Man Standing, Knock out Karate Tournament in South Africas Western Province.
In 2009 he moved a step up in his performance by becoming the second best fighter at the Samson Muripo Tournament, in Harare and that was the last time he played second fiddle to a local or international fighter in any competitions he took part in.