# Mathews Punza

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{{short description|Zambian judoka}}
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| name           = Mathews Punza
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| nationality    = [Zambia](/source/Zambia)n
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| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1988|4|27|df=y}}
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| sport          = [Judo](/source/Judo)
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'''Mathews Punza''' (born 27 April 1988) is a [Zambia](/source/Zambia)n [judo](/source/judo)ka. He participated in the [2010 World Judo Championships](/source/2010_World_Judo_Championships) and later championships.<ref name=judoinside>{{cite web|url=http://www.judoinside.com/judoka/70735/Mathews_Punza |title=Mathews Punza &ndash; judoka|website=judoinside.com |accessdate=7 August 2016}}</ref>

Punza began studying judo at the age of six,<ref name="wakung'uma">Wakung'uma, Shapa. ''[http://allafrica.com/stories/201508240455.html Zambia: Looking At Judo in Police Service]'', The Times of Zambia (via AllAfrica.com), August 22, 2015.</ref> attending classes at [Lilayi Police College](/source/Lilayi_Police_College).<ref name="wakung'uma" /> As an adult, he became an officer in the police service.<ref name="wakung'uma" />

In 2015, Punza and fellow Zambian judoka [Boas Munyonga](/source/Boas_Munyonga) traveled to [Uzbekistan](/source/Uzbekistan) to study judo, under a scholarship program from the [International Judo Federation](/source/International_Judo_Federation).<ref>''[https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=19857 Munyonga, Punza Uzbekistan bound]'', The Zambia Daily Mail, February 11, 2015.</ref> Punza and Munyoga were unable to compete in the 2016 European Open Championship, as a result of visa difficulties with the government of the [Czech Republic](/source/Czech_Republic).<ref>''[https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=60389 Visa hitch knocks out Munyonga, Punza]'', the Zambia Daily Mail, February 25, 2016.</ref> In spite of this, Punza was able to qualify to compete in the Olympics by scoring enough points in competition to meet the continental qualification quota.<ref>Samuel, ''[http://allafrica.com/stories/201606010577.html Zambia: Punza Makes Rio Team]'', The Times of Zambia (via AllAfrica.com), May 31, 2016.</ref>

Punza competed at the [2016 Summer Olympics](/source/2016_Summer_Olympics) in [Rio de Janeiro](/source/Rio_de_Janeiro), where he was Zambia's flag bearer during the opening ceremony.<ref>Akwei, Ismail. ''[http://www.africanews.com/2016/08/09/photos-colourful-africa-parades-at-the-rio-olympics-east-africa/ Colourful Africa parades at the Rio Olympics (East Africa)]'', AfricaNews.com, August 9, 2016.</ref> In the [men's 66 kg](/source/Judo_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_66_kg) class, he defeated [Golan Pollack](/source/Golan_Pollack) of Israel in the second round, but lost to [Adrian Gomboč](/source/Adrian_Gombo%C4%8D) of Slovenia in the third round.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/athlete/mathews-punza |title=Mathews Punza |website=rio2016.com |accessdate=7 August 2016 |archive-date=25 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125224521/https://www.rio2016.com/en/athlete/mathews-punza |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
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==External links==
* {{sports links}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = [Prince Mumba](/source/Prince_Mumba_(athlete))
| title = [Flag bearer](/source/List_of_flag_bearers_for_Zambia_at_the_Olympics) for {{ZAM}}
| years = [Rio de Janeiro 2016](/source/2016_Summer_Olympics)
| after = [Tilka Paljk](/source/Tilka_Paljk) <br />and <br />[Everisto Mulenga](/source/Everisto_Mulenga)
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Punza, Mathews}}
Category:1988 births
Category:Living people
Category:Zambian male judoka
Category:Olympic judoka for Zambia
Category:Judoka at the 2016 Summer Olympics

{{Zambia-judo-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mathews Punza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathews_Punza) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathews_Punza?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.