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Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
PANTHERS Taekwondo Club will send an 18-member team to the National Taekwondo Club Championships that will be held in Gweru tomorrow.

The team, which includes 11 juniors and seven seniors, is the only representative from Bulawayo and is set to leave tomorrow morning. Panthers Taekwondo Club instructor Vusumuzi Ncube said he hopes some members of his team will make the national team.

“There will be an annual general meeting (AGM) to select the national team soon after the tournament. I am hopeful that some of my athletes will make it to the national team even though we have had challenges with our training sessions. Since this is the beginning of the year, some of my fighters are still trying to raise money to register, while some have school commitments, which makes it hard for us to meet like we used to. We have since shifted our training timetable to train once during the week and then on Saturdays,” said Ncube.

Panthers will be hoping 29-year-old Sithabisile Nleya will impress at the tournament.  He scooped silver in the national championships at Prince Edward High School last year. Kudzai Mahachi (21) is also expected to impress although she failed to win any medal in last year’s club championships.

“We are sending athletes we believe will deliver good results and make it into the national team. I know Nleya and Mahachi will do us proud. I believe they now know the feel of competing in such big tournaments and will be prepared come Saturday,” Ncube said.

He said he would also be making a return to competing following a knee injury that saw him out of action for 16 months.

@khumzallen