The Sunday Mail
Evelyne Matimbire
THE story of Tamuka Chimundera is a classic case of turning lemons into lemonade, and the adage that “disability does not mean inability”.
The latter is a bit of a stretch since the young martial arts expert, Chimundera, does not consider his condition as a disability but more of a permanent injury.
A more appropriate quote would be basketball icon Michael Jordan’s take on obstacles, which reads: “Obstacles don’t have to stop you.
“If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
While Chimundera is probably too young to know or appreciate the NBA legend, the 24-year-old is a living embodiment of the quote.
It all started back in 2017, when Chimundera incurred a freak injury that left him with a double fracture on his right arm and his bones misaligned.
“I was injured at the 2017 National Championships, which were held in Bulawayo.
“I was fighting a guy from Botswana, don’t remember his actual name, and got injured in the third round. I tried to kick him in the head but failed to connect, only brushing his headgear, and then fell to the ground awkwardly. I landed on my hand and broke it,” he said.
So serious was the injury that it left a permanent V shape on his arm. Chimundera’s family immediately sought medical assistance to reposition the arm without success. His family also accompanied him to Zambia so he could get a second opinion, and doctors there operated on the arm.
It was feared this would be a career-ending injury.
“When I came back from Zambia, my father asked me if I wanted to continue with taekwondo. I immediately said yes, and he told me to be extra cautious with my hand.
“My mother, on the other hand, feared the worst and did not like to see me in that state. “She later came around, and brushed it off as part of the game,” he said.
Chimundera’s sheer force of will and determination probably played a huge part in waylaying his mother’s fears, and today, the entire brood is better for it.
He has managed to carve out quite a career for himself, and, today, has over 67 medals and holds a third-degree black belt in kukkiwon and a fourth dan in taekwondo.
A full-time employee at Wise Owl Private School in Marondera, where he is a taekwondo trainer at both primary and secondary levels, the martial artist also coaches taekwondo at Marondera Country Club.
The year 2023 promises to be a big one for him, as he has four big tournaments he is slated to take part in.
These include the Kenya Africa Para Taekwondo, the tenth edition of the World Taekwondo Para Championship, the Niger Taekwondo Open and the Manchester Grand Prix.
Chimundera’s only obstacle are finances. He is in dire need of sponsorship, as preparation and travel expenses are exorbitant.
To date, most of the money has been coming from his parents and a few well-wishers.
■ Twitter: @matimbireevelyn
