Mashaya turns grief into perseverance
FOR what seems like a lifetime now, sportsmen and women around the world have been trying to come to terms with the impact of the coronavirus on their income and livelihoods. However, for one Wilfred Mashaya, the last couple of months have been especially hard.
On December 25, the 38-year-old lost his father, Jameson Mashaya (65), a man he describes as a mentor and the rock on which he leaned on for his career as a Kobudo World Champion and Hall of Famer.
“The year 2020 started well, as I had such high expectations.
“There were a couple of tournaments I was hoping to take part in, and then there was my work with the academy,” Mashaya said.
Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse as the pandemic hit. And on Christmas Day, his father succumbed after a long and painful fight against diabetes.
“The year ended badly for me, as my father, who had been suffering from diabetes for a long time, passed away on December 25.
“I am yet to fully recover, as he was not just my father, but a mentor and rock on which I leaned on for support.
“My father was always there, whether physically or mentally, to support, urge me on, and listen to my stories.
“Whenever he could, he would come to collect me at the airport after a meet, or was my first stop when I returned home,” he said.
He believes he inherited more than just DNA from his father. What he lacked in terms of athletic ability, the older Mashaya made up for with strength of character.
“There isn’t much to tell in terms of my father’s sporting history, aside from the fact that he dabbled in a little football and athletics.
“He didn’t go professional with either sport, but ran and made the school football teams.
“He was a fighter though, as often I heard that he was one of the most feared fellows when herding cattle.
“That all disappeared as he got older and he became the darling of the society here in Mufakose.
“He was a cool person, who loved to see his fellow countrymen living in harmony, and became a counsellor of sorts in the neighbourhood,” he said.
Above all else, the older Mashaya loved his son dearly. Having been diagnosed with diabetes some years ago, Jameson Mashaya took a turn for the worse in 2019, shortly before his son was crowned the Annual National Sports Awards’ Sportsperson of the Year.
Then frail in body, but not in spirit, Mashaya attended the event to support his son.
He was admitted a few weeks later.
During his short stint in the hospital, the senior Mashaya was placed on insulin. Since then, he was receiving two injections a day right up to the time of his demise.
However, after he was discharged, that did not stop him from welcoming his son at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport upon his return from Namibia, where he was crowned the Regional Sportsman of the Year. It is this strength of character that Wilfred Mashaya hopes to take into 2021, with the seasoned fighter taking up a more relaxed schedule.
He is not retiring.
“Martial arts is a way of life, and one never retires,” said the Kobudo expert.
“I have achieved most of what I will ever achieve, and now is the time to start nurturing, identifying, and grooming the next generation of fighters.
“Through my academy, I will be doing more coaching, with the odd competition here and there.
“The Zim Ninja Academy is already up and running, and was one of the bright spots of my 2020.
“We managed to compete in two online competitions, collecting a total of 13 medals in total.
“Given that the pandemic hit us (Zimbabwe), and hit us hard, it was an honour to be able to raise the nation’s flag and launch the careers of some of the country’s young talented fighters.
“We have been invited to three more online contests, courtesy of the Mediterranean Karate Alliance and Malta Tourism Authority, and hope to continue the trend.
“Sponsorship remains a headache, as we still need help, despite the fact that these are virtual tournaments.
“We will do our best to live within our means and do our level best to raise the nation’s flag.
“I do this out of passion, even using my own resources, like I did to register participants for the last online tournaments, and will continue to do my level best in that regard.
“Spreading the sport of Kobudo is my life’s mission,” he said.