Zimbabwe will join judokas from across the region at the Japanese Ambassador’s Judo Cup, scheduled for Saturday, 29 August, and Sunday, 30 August 2026, at the OYDC Zambia Sports Development Centre in Lusaka, Zambia.
The pre-cadets and cadets will compete on Saturday, while the seniors will take to the tatami on Sunday. The tournament will run from 09:00 to 17:00 hours on both days.
The Judo Association of Zimbabwe has sent 14 athletes to the competition, including five athletes from Tongogara Refugee Camp who are competing under its Judo for Peace programme.
Judo Association of Zimbabwe president Moses Mutende said the tournament provides an important platform for Zimbabwean judokas, particularly young athletes, to gain international exposure and valuable competition experience.
“Zimbabwe’s participation in the Japanese Ambassador’s Judo Cup is an important step in the growth and development of judo, particularly for our young athletes. It provides international exposure, valuable competition experience, and an opportunity to measure themselves against judoka from other countries,” Mutende said.
He said the participation of athletes from Tongogara Refugee Camp demonstrated the role sport can play in promoting inclusion and creating opportunities.
“This is a powerful demonstration of how sport can promote inclusion, create opportunities, and bring communities together,” he said.
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Mutende said Team Zimbabwe would compete with discipline, confidence and determination, with development and gaining international experience remaining the main focus, despite the team also targeting medals.
Among the athletes competing is Makanaka Vanessa Nherera, who travelled to Zambia a week before the tournament for a training camp as part of her preparations for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
The competition will also form part of Zimbabwe’s preparations for bigger regional and international events, including the Region 5 Youth Games in Maputo later this year.
Mutende expressed gratitude to the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee for sponsoring Nherera and Sensei Lazarus Arufandika for the trip.
“We sincerely thank the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee for sponsoring Makanaka Vanessa Nherera and Sensei Lazarus Arufandika for this trip. The ZOC has truly stood by us, and we will do everything within our capacity to ensure that their efforts and support do not go in vain,” he said.
The Judo Association of Zimbabwe is also preparing to host its own Japanese Ambassador’s Judo Cup on 10 October in Zimbabwe, which Mutende said would provide another platform to showcase and develop the sport locally.
He also called on sponsors, the Government, development partners and well-wishers to support the development of judo from grassroots level to the international stage.
“The talent coming from communities such as Tongogara shows that talent exists everywhere. What these athletes need is opportunity, exposure, and support,” Mutende said.
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