CELEBRATED and highly decorated Zimbabwean power-lifting champion Chido Kerina Maenzanise defended her Africa Strong Woman Gong recently to claim her 9th Gold Medal and 26th career accolade, respectively.
The event was held at NMI Customer Day on July 5 in Durban, South Africa.
Superpower woman Maenzanise never surrenders to fatigue from the action-packed event which included maximum dead lifting, truck pull, sandbag loading, yoke and farmers medley and is already training harder in preparation for the Africa Strong Woman/Man Championships scheduled for July 31 to August 4 in Zambia.
Maenzanise told NewsDay Life & Style that she is looking for sponsorship and branding partnerships or endorsements of approximately US$6 000 to meet the competition residency costs.
“Thank you for your overwhelming support during and after the NMI Customer Day, Africa Strong Man/Woman Competition in Durban. I am happy with bringing home the Gold Medal and am looking forward to another impressive finish in Zambia from July 31 to August 4,” she said.
“The competition in Mzansi was tough and the South Africans seemed to have worked harder in order to impress the judges. I, however, outclassed them on the truck pulls and yokes to bring back the gold medal to Zimbabwe.
“Special thanks go to my two coaches Black Moses (Zimbabwe) and Cozch Shane (United States) who have polished me up to this far.”
Maenzanise was naturally built up to be a strong woman from her teenage and friends would tease her calling her Chivhindikiti, Shona for an extremely strong and energetic person.
- Maenzanise defends her Africa Strong Woman gong
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Her journey to the Africa Strong Woman began in 2016 when she started running every morning and was referred to the Black Moses Academy by one Bla Ganza.
She recalls that the Black Moses Academy was male-dominated and they would laugh or unfairly tease her until she temporarily quit, only to resurface in 2021 to compete in the Zimbabwe’s Strong Woman Competition.
From 2022 to this year, Maenzanise has 26 power-lifting medals, nine of them being gold.
A highly sociable and accommodating strong woman, she encouraged fellow women to do fitness exercises in order to occupy work spaces effectively, including keeping health and mental fitness.
In a powerful message to women across Zimbabwe and Africa, Maenzanise encouraged them to embrace fitness training fully and not only as a path to physical strength, but as a gateway to personal empowerment, improved mental health and greater productivity in everyday life.
“Fitness is not just about lifting weights or building muscle,” she said.
“Instead, it is about building confidence, challenging gender stereotypes, and proving to ourselves that we can thrive in spaces traditionally dominated by men.
“Every woman deserves to feel strong inside and out.”
As she sets her sights on Zambia, Maenzanise is not only chasing medals, but also building a legacy — a legacy of courage, persistence and empowerment.
Her journey from teenage “Chivhindikiti” to Africa’s strongest woman is more than a personal triumph; it is a call to action for every young girl who dares to dream beyond boundaries.
Whether in the gym or in life, Maenzanise reminds us all that strength, in every form, is worth fighting for.
