More lessons in defeat?

“VICTORS never lose”, I live for the next fight.”

The above is the WhatsApp status message being shared by Zimbabwe’s two representatives at the International Judo Federation World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The competition ends today but Tapiwa Pavari and Brian Chiminya met their fate on the first day of the championship.

Pavari (21) competed in the U60kg category and lost to Yanislaf Gerchev of Bulgaria in the first round while 19-yearold Chiminya was eliminated by Ayoub Elidrissi of Qatar in the U60kg category.

Amid the disappointment the duo has decided to take the “there are more lessons in defeat” route.

“You have to be positive in every situation,” said Chiminya.

“Personally I would have loved to perform better, bring back home a medal perhaps, but it wasn’t to be.

“I am drawing my lessons from the defeat. One thing I have learnt is that there is no substitute for hard work.

‘In my conversations with Japanese judokas I found out that they fight a lot during training, they give it a real go.

“They train three times a day, three hours per each session and hold camps every month. Obviously, such a work ethic gives them an edge.”

Pavari, on the other hand, revealed that the Budapest experience introduced him to a whole new world.

“Judo is the same everywhere but if you are not used to fighting or training with world class athletes it’s difficult to compete with them at such competitions.

“This was an eye-opening experience. I got a taste of the international stage and am now craving for more,” said Pavari.

Meanwhile, Judo Association of Zimbabwe president Smart Deke says the nation needs to invest in its athletes.

“I am glad our young men stepped into the ring and fought with champions. It’s a great experience that will surely make them better judokas.

They now know how it feels to compete at this stage.

“They are now motivated to train even harder but they need support, they need sponsorship so that they can reach their full potential,” he said,