Chido Maenzanise pulling a plane
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
National powerlifter and Africa’s Strongest Woman Chido Maenzanise, has set her sights on pulling a bigger aircraft after successfully pulling a 4.5-tonne plane over a distance of 20 metres at Charles Prince Airport.
Maenzanise, who continues to push the boundaries of women’s strength in sport, said the achievement was part of her desire to break new ground and establish herself as a unique athlete.
She is happy to be the first woman in Zimbabwe to pull an aircraft, describing the feat as another milestone in her journey of challenging herself and inspiring others.
Maenzanise said she had initially hoped to pull a bigger aircraft but was limited by the absence of a harness, which she believes would provide the support needed for the more demanding challenge.
“I pulled a plane weighing 4.5 tonnes, but soon I am aiming for a bigger plane. I didn’t have a harness, that is why I pulled this one.
“When I get a harness, I will pull a bigger plane. That is my target,” she said.
She added that her decision to take on the challenge was driven by her desire to demonstrate women’s strength and achieve something different.
“I’m doing this because I am a strong woman and I wanted to break a record. I just love being unique and different from others,” she said.
The 20-metre aircraft pull adds to Maenzanise’s growing list of achievements in strength sports, having earned recognition as Africa’s Strongest Woman after winning the East-Rand Strongest Competition in South Africa in 2025.
Maenzanise, who has 31 accolades to her name, said the aircraft pull was only the beginning of what she hopes to achieve.
“A bigger pull is coming. I have not yet started. I will keep doing more.”
Her determination to take on increasingly demanding challenges reflects her ambition to continue raising the bar in strength sports while demonstrating that women can also excel in activities traditionally dominated by men.
For Maenzanise, the aircraft pull is not the destination but another step towards an even bigger challenge.
Videos circulating online, show Chido pulling the plane, drawing admiration from her fans.
