By GRACE CHAILE – 

ZAMBIA has been given the right to host the 2014 Zone Six Karate Championship to be held from June 26 to 28 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka. 

The development was announced by Zambia Martial Arts Federation (ZMAF) tournaments director Munyarazi Mangaba in an interview in Lusaka yesterday. 

Mangaba said Zambia beat South Africa to win the right to host the event adding that the federation has already started preparations towards hosting a successful tournament.   

He said Zambia’s winning the bid had to do with the member countries wanting a change of venue a move which he said will put pressure on the organising committee to deliver a successful event in June. 

Mangaba said ZMAF is ready to host the championship and has already selected an organising committee comprising members from the Ministry of Sports and Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ). 

He said the Zone Six Championship launch would be held on February 14 at Palm Wood Lodge in Lusaka. 

“We are delighted to have been picked as hosts for this year’s Zone Six Karate Games and we shall not fail to deliver a successful event. This is a big responsibility entrusted on us by the regional members and we must show to be up to the task of delivering the event,” he said. 

He named the countries expected to take part in the championship as Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. 

Mangaba said hosting the tournament will give Zambia an edge to win a lot of medals especially that the athletes have not done badly having finished second during the 2012 event and won 12 medals last year from various competitions.

Meanwhile, Mangaba said the selection of the national team karatekas would be done on February 8 in the various regions before the final selection on February 22 at National Sports Development Centre (NASDEC) in Lusaka.