TWO Zimbabweans raised the country’s flag high when they participated at the prestigious E-Sports fighting games invitational tournament which was hosted in Pretoria, South Africa early this month.
Over 128 gamers from different countries around the world participated at the event.
Alpha Chaendera (Sonic) and Nkosi Dlamini (KrwKing101) represented team Zimbabwe.
The tournament was divided into two parts which saw the first segment with new challengers approach in the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) before the ultimate brawl kicked off in the main event.
In the main event, 15 invited professionals and one LCQ met in the cage to determine the ultimate Red Bull Kumite champion.
Street Fighter 6 was the game for the tournament.
Bulawayo-based Dlamini scooped the 5th position while Chaendera from Harare scooped the 7th position.
Zimbabwe E-Sports gamers cheered the boys in the event which was streamed online.
E-Sports Zimbabwe coach, Blessing Sumaidi also known as Coach Tsidi said the boys represented the country’s flag well by participating at the tournament.
"The tournament was quite competitive and we are glad that the boys played very well by coming into the top 10.
"Sonic displayed his fast reactions at the main stage as he wowed fans with his Kimberley, who was not only super-fast but a setup master.
"KrwKing101 started slow but ended up having the crowd in his hand when he avenged his fellow country man by taking out the guy who took out Sonic with his technically blessed Juri," he said.
Team Zimbabwe was sponsored by Group Founder and Executive chairman of Esports Zimbabwe, Thomas Arnold Phiri, D Domain Media Africa Esports Championship and Prophet Walter Magaya of Yadah Church.
The next tournament will also be hosted in Capetown, South Africa from 16 to 17 September 2023.
Over the past years, E-Sports is taking Zimbabwean youths by storm and is becoming more than just sitting on a TV and holding a controller.