The former world champion is one of three Zimbabweans taking part at the global martial arts showdown. Naison Chituwa, a silver medallist in last October’s world tournament in China, and Lovemore Nyamutswa will also participate.
“I am well-prepared for the tournament. I did some gruesome training under the guidance of Sensei Kumbirai Musunami. I am confident that whatever comes now will be something I will manage. God will be there to guide us in the tournament, just as he has guided us in previous events,” said a hopeful Muripo.
The showdown is an open tournament and the karatekas will be seeded per country, so that fighters from the same country do not face each other in the first round.
Muripo was impressed with the other two fighters’ preparations and believed they would also rise to the occasion. “We have trained together and both Senpai Naison and Senpai Lovemore know what to expect from a tournament of this magnitude because they have been there. So it is good that we always pushed each other knowing what awaits in Japan,” he said.
Post published in: Sport