Mathews Punza

{{short description|Zambian judoka}}

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| name = Mathews Punza

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| nationality = Zambian

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|4|27|df=y}}

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| sport = Judo

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Mathews Punza (born 27 April 1988) is a Zambian judoka. He participated in the 2010 World Judo Championships and later championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.judoinside.com/judoka/70735/Mathews_Punza |title=Mathews Punza – judoka|website=judoinside.com |accessdate=7 August 2016}}

Punza began studying judo at the age of six,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. attending classes at Lilayi Police College. As an adult, he became an officer in the police service.

In 2015, Punza and fellow Zambian judoka Boas Munyonga traveled to Uzbekistan to study judo, under a scholarship program from the International Judo Federation.[https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=19857 Munyonga, Punza Uzbekistan bound], The Zambia Daily Mail, February 11, 2015. 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.[https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=60389 Visa hitch knocks out Munyonga, Punza], the Zambia Daily Mail, February 25, 2016. 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.Samuel, [http://allafrica.com/stories/201606010577.html Zambia: Punza Makes Rio Team], The Times of Zambia (via AllAfrica.com), May 31, 2016.

Punza competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he was Zambia's flag bearer during the opening ceremony.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. In the men's 66 kg class, he defeated Golan Pollack of Israel in the second round, but lost to Adrian Gomboč of Slovenia in the third round.{{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 }}