Zimbabwe: Karateka Kingston Dutiro Dies

Sports Reporter

TOP Zimbabwean karateka, Sensei Kingston Dutiro, has died.

He was 58.

He passed away at his farm, in Mazowe, on Friday.

Sensei Kingston was a decorated karateka, who served Zimbabwe Karate for over three decades, as an athlete, instructor and administrator.

The athlete was part of the camp of instructor Sensei Simon Mapanda, who had established the Highfield Kuro-Obi-Kai, majoring in judo, in the mid 1980s.

Sensei Kingston was to join Shukokai Karate, where Sensei Willie Blumears, was one of his instructors.

Sensei Des Bottes was the other instructor.

Blumears later introduced Kingston to Sensei Graham Thwaites, of Shotokan Karate and, for two years, he was part of the Shotokan Karate family.

He rubbed shoulders with Zimbabwean karate legends such as Eugene Moody, George Taylor, Brendon McGrath, and Professor Collen Masimirembwa, among others.

Kingston would later return to Shukokai Karate, where he trained under Sensei Chrispen Musonza and Kays Mushunje, along with more Zimbabwean karate legends James Pswarayi, Pius Matambanadzo, Milton Kahari, Wellington Chirisa, David Matipano, Kudzai Chidzambwa, Dominic Meza, Herbert Muregerera, Brett Madden and Jonathan Robinson.

He was a member of the Mashonaland Karate squad, and the Zimbabwe national team, from the late 1980’s to 1993.

Upon retiring from active competition, Kingston was an instructor and was elected the vice president of the Zimbabwe Karate Union, in the mid-to-late ’90’s.

Kingston founded Urakashi Karate Practice, as the first local karate style.

The Shona word, Urakashi, stems from an act of thoroughly vanquishing an assailant (kurakasha).

He is survived by his wife and five children.