KOBUDO Shihan Wilfred Mashaya, the reigning Kodudo (weapons) World Champion from Zimbabwe, won four gold medals at the International Martial Arts Corporation (IMAC) English Open Tournament held at the York Leisure Centre in England on Sunday.
Mashaya, also known as the Zim Ninja, participated in five categories and scooped four gold medals and one silver medal.
His gold medal victories came in the Black Belt Traditional Weapon, Black Belt Freestyle Weapon, Black Belt Creative Weapons, and Mixed Weapon Category divisions.
He also secured a silver medal in the Advanced Musical Weapons category.
The tournament featured a wide range of ancient Okinawan and Japanese weapons, including swords (Katana), Nunchaku (Chuckle Sticks), Tonfa, Sai, and Kama, among others.
Competitors from several countries, including England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Zimbabwe, India, Nepal, Morocco, and the USA, participated in the event.
Shihan Mashaya, a multi-black belt holder in disciplines such as Kyokushin, Bujinkan Ninjutsu and Self-Defence, is the founder of the Zim Ninja Academy based in Harare.
Mashaya’s impressive performance at the IMAC tournament was part of his preparation for the upcoming martial arts World Championships in Germany.
The IMAC organizers were so impressed by Shihan Mashaya’s exceptional skills and achievements that they appointed him as the representative of the Martial Arts Body in Zimbabwe, handing him a certificate of appointment.
