Shihan Mashaya
By Dickson Bandera
Zimbabwe’s celebrated martial artist, Shihan Wilfred Mashaya, delivered a stellar performance at the International Martial Arts Corporation (IMAC) English Open Tournament, held at the York Leisure Centre in England.
Mashaya dominated the competition, securing five gold medals across all five categories he contested.
The sixth-dan black belt showcased his expertise in traditional Okinawan and Japanese martial arts, impressively demonstrating weaponry skills with swords, nunchaku, tonfa, sai, and kama. His victories came in the following divisions:
Black Belt Traditional Weapon
Black Belt Freestyle Weapon
Black Belt Creative Weapons
Musical Weapon
Advanced Weapon Category
Mashaya’s clean sweep is a testament to his rich martial arts background, spanning disciplines such as Kyokushin Karate, Bujinkan Ninjutsu, Kobudo/Weapons, and Self-Defense.
The prestigious tournament drew elite martial artists from across the globe, including participants from England, Wales, Scotland, India, Nepal, Romania, Poland, and Zimbabwe. For Mashaya, this victory not only adds to his growing list of international accolades but also builds momentum ahead of the World Championships scheduled for October in Wales.
In recognition of his exceptional performance and skill, Mashaya was honored with the ‘Athlete of the Tournament’ Trophy, further solidifying his legendary status on the global martial arts stage.
As the founder of the Zim Ninja Academy in Harare, Mashaya is actively training the next generation of Zimbabwean martial artists—from children as young as four years old to adults of all ages. He hopes to take a team of 15 or more athletes—both male and female—to represent Zimbabwe at the upcoming World Championships in Wales, subject to sponsorship and necessary support.
Mashaya’s triumph in England was buoyed by the heartfelt support of the Zimbabwean diaspora. Among his enthusiastic supporters was William Mahlunge, popularly known as Muparendi Wigo, who travelled from Wales to personally welcome and accompany the Zim Ninja. The Mhundwa family, a group of five Zimbabwean supporters based in England, also attended the tournament, waving flags and singing in solidarity, which Mashaya said deeply inspired and motivated him to perform at his best.
A multi-award-winning martial artist and a Hall of Famer, Shihan Mashaya has previously been named the 2018 Zimbabwe Sports Person of the Year, the first Zimbabwean Regional Sportsman of the Year, and Africa’s first Kobudo World Champion. He is also Zimbabwe’s first certified Ninja.
He has proudly represented Zimbabwe in several countries including Russia, Spain, Italy, Bangladesh, Montenegro, and England, consistently bringing home trophies, medals, and global acclaim.
