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Tag: Chika Chukwumerije

  • WTF sanctions Nigeria Taekwondo International Open

    The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) has sanctioned the 2nd Nigeria Taekwondo International (NTF) Open Championships by awarding it a G-1 International ranking.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the NTF-organised event planned for Abuja is the first competition in Nigeria to have an international ranking.

    NTF said on Tuesday in Lagos that the competition would hold in Abuja from Nov. 16 to Nov. 18, and termed it a priority programme of the current board.

    Chika Chukwumerije, NTF Technical Director said that the federation worked very hard to get the approval from World Taekwondo through the African body, after being satisfied that the event fulfilled all conditions.

    “In spite of some top competitors on the continent, our athletes have literally no world ranking because they cannot afford to travel to compete, but the upcoming event is still sanctioned.

    Read Also: Anambra youths train in taekwondo to combat crime

    “We will provide hundreds of our elite and upcoming athletes the opportunity to gain vital world ranking points, and competitive experience with some of the best athletes in the world,” the three-time Olympian said in a statement.

    Meanwhile, Chairman of the NTF’s Technical and Development Committee, Sani Lawal, has blamed the lack of G events for the rise of other African countries over Nigeria at international events.

    “Countries like Cote d’Ivoire have more than seven competitors in the high ranked Grand Slams series because their athletes have a lot of ranking from organising G-ranked tournaments in Cote D’Ivoire since 2012.

    “We can see the impact of these tournaments in the fact that they won Olympic gold and bronze medals in Rio Olympics in Brazil and World titles in 2017.

    “So, getting the Nigeria Open to be sanctioned by the World Taekwondo body is the way forward if Nigeria Taekwondo is to have players on the world stage,” Lawal said.

  • NTF board dreaming big for Nigeria -Chukwumerije

    NTF board dreaming big for Nigeria -Chukwumerije

     

    Taking taekwondo to the zenith is a major desire of the present board of Nigeria Taekwondo federation.

    Technical Director of the Federation Chika Chukwumerije who made this known, said the nation boasts of talents capable of making the nation proud at all levels of competition, adding that with proper harnessing and support the sky would be the limit for Nigeria.  He expressed satisfaction with the composition of the current board noting that a good percentage of the members are not only passionate about the game but have participated in the game at one time or the other.

    “A good number of those currently on the board of NTF are stakeholders who have participated in the game and have won laurels in the past so we are on the same page which is a huge plus for our desire to take the game to greater heights,” he enthused

    The 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist who has continued to push for continuous upgrade in technical knowledge of the game by both coaches and athletes, called for maximum support for the first female President of the NTF, Margaret Binga.

    Binga according to him has the capacity and knowledge to boost the sports in the country and will require the support of all to achieve the high standard the current board has set for the country.

    “She is not only a former athlete and former referee she has the zeal to work and I believe with maximum support we will achieve our target which is to take taekwondo to all the nooks and cranny of the country on one hand and to greater height as a sport on the other,” he added

    Binga is Nigeria’s only two-time African Taekwondo Champion and a World Taekwondo Federation Class 2 International Referee, who was undefeated for 18 years with 45 National Gold Medals in the kitty.

  • THE PRESIDENT NIGERIA TAEKWONDO NEEDS

    THE PRESIDENT NIGERIA TAEKWONDO NEEDS

    Nigeria Taekwondo failed to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics in this last Olympic cycle in addition to winning only one gold medal at the last 2015 All African Games. Prior to this period, we had qualified at every Olympic qualification event attended and the last time we picked up only a solitary gold medal at the All African games was twenty-six years ago in Cairo. For decision makers at the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, this was enough to strike the sport off its top seven list.

    Thus, when I was asked a few days ago how Nigeria Taekwondo could ensure that it performs at the Lusaka 2019 AAG and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, my immediate response was that it is dependent on the leadership in place. This is why it is important to ensure that the right kind of President is elected during the upcoming elections.

    In my opinion, here is the kind of President that the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation [NTF] needs.

    One; an Action NTF President.
    It is not enough to say the right things and paint the perfect picture. There is a drawn-out and challenging distance between source and destination that demands action. For example, getting a constitution passed by congress; building strong national senior and junior teams; developing policies that strengthens state associations who in turn ensure the grassroots sports development of the sport etc.

    Two; a Team Player NTF President
    The board is the authority mandated to govern and develop policies for the sport over a four-year period. A team-player NTF President would take his/her board along in the process of decision-making. Given the various constituencies that make up the board, a team-player NTF President would ensure that the unique experiences and strengths of the board is brought into play to push the sport forward.

    Three; a generous NTF President
    It is tough to secure funding for Nigeria Taekwondo. It has always been, it still is. The next Nigeria Taekwondo Federation President should have a financial plan on how exactly funding will be secured over the next four years. Cries of “there is no money” and blaming the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports must not come into play.

    During the several months it would take to implement the financial plan, a generous SF President should be naturally prepared to foot the bills or inspire his/her board to foot basic bills i.e. ensuring that the Federation secretariat is functional. It can be puzzling how a secretariat can ground to a halt because no one wanted to pay for the monthly internet, fuel for the generator or buy printer ink and paper.

    Four; a courageous and realistic NTF President
    Nigeria Taekwondo has too many dynamics and factions. On one hand, it is important that the NTF President knows and understands all these dynamics, factions and persons involved. On the other hand, it is more critical that the NTF President has the courage to sail the Olympic sport into the future regardless of the resistance from the strong winds presented by many of these dynamics and factions.

    Five; a Fair NTF President
    National Programs that are done by the Federation must be fairly distributed across the six regions over a four-year period.

    Six; an Accountable NTF President.
    An Accountable President would ensure that there is financial and operational accountability and transparency. Every single kobo that passes through the Federation should be accounted for. Situations where athletes and coaches pay for a National Insurance I.D Scheme without getting the service or refunds must be avoided at all cost in the next Olympic cycle. For every program that is set on the calendar, there must be an account on whether the program met pre-determined goals and learning points should be noted.

    Seven; a Data-Driven NTF President
    Nigeria Taekwondo has no official database. We really do not know and cannot effectively estimate how many people practice Taekwondo in Nigeria. This has ensured that we have lost talents and revenue. The next NTF President should be able to set up a structure that can capture, permanently store and update this info. Knowing our numbers will give the Federation a peculiar strength and help it design and implement more effective and targeted policies.

    Eight; a Global NTF President
    The next NTF President must have the charisma, recognisability and clout to be embraced by the Africa Taekwondo Union, World Taekwondo Federation and the many other global institutions. In the next four years, more in-roads must be made into these bodies.

    If Nigeria Taekwondo wants to regain a front seat, and have the kind of success currently enjoyed by the Table Tennis, Basketball and Wrestling, it is critical that the right kind of President steps into the role for the next four years.

  • Taekwondo scribe urges sponsorship of athletes to improve Nigeria’s rating

    Taiwo Oriss, Secretary, Taekwondo Federation of Nigeria (TFN), says regular sponsorship of athletes to local and international competitions can help Nigeria become one of the top Taekwondo nations in the world.

    Oriss, who made the assertion on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said taekwondoists should get better through participation in competitions round the year.

    “Athletes get better by participating in competitions within and outside the country and the federation alone cannot fund such; there is need for improved corporate and individual sponsorship.

    “Taekwondoists are not only prepared for competitions by the federation, they also go for competitions on the bill of corporate or individual sponsors, and we hope to see more of that.

    “Some sponsors also organise competitions, they work with the federation for proper regulation and organisation of such events. All these help to develop the game,” he said.

    He thanked the sponsors of taekwondo competitions in the country and the Grandmasters for their sustained support for the game.

    However, the federation’s scribe while commending athletes urged them to better their game for the nation to become a global force in Taekwondo.

    “Nigeria has yet to be among the first 50 nations in taekwondo in spite of abundance of human resources in the country that could make the country a taekwondo great.

    “Although, our physically challenged women are currently among the first five nations in the world which is okay for the nation, but can still be the first.

    “Our disabled men are currently number 11 in the world which means they will have to engage in qualifiers in order to go for world tournaments.

    “But they could avoid qualifiers if they could be among the first five like their female counterparts, they will automatically qualify for international competitions,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that TFN had fixed March 22 to March 25 for a training course for Taekwondo referees in the country in Lagos.

    “Referees and Coaches need to keep abreast with the updated rules of World Taekwondo Federation so that athletes and other stakeholders can be in line with global best practice.

    “Taekwondo is an international sport and the rules are constantly updated to keep the stakeholders abreast of such development.

    “The current leadership of TFN considered it wise to organise the course so that referees and other officials of the game can be abreast of latest rules of the sport,’’ he said.

    Oriss added that referees would be graded at the end of the course based on their proficiency.

    “At the end of the course, participants will be graded based on their performance in Dan-1, Dan 2,3,4,5 and Dan 6,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that Dan ranking system is used by many Japanese organisations and Korean martial arts to indicate the level of one’s ability within a certain subject matter.

    NAN also reports that local and international competitions in Taekwondo had been lined up for the rest of the year.

    NAN reports that Chika Chukwumerije and former Gov. Gbenga Daniel are among the individual sponsors of Taekwondo in the country.

    Taekwondo is a Korean martial art, characterised by its emphasis on head-height kicks, jumping and spinning kicks, and fast kicking techniques.

    Taekwondo was developed during the 1940s and 1950s by various martial artists by incorporating elements of Karate and Chinese Martial Arts with indigenous Korean martial arts traditions.

    These traditions include the Taekkyeon, Subak and Gwonbeop.

    The oldest governing body for taekwondo is the Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA), formed in 1959 through a collaborative effort by representatives from the nine original Kwans or martial arts schools, in Korea.

     

  • Dakar Taekwondo Open: CCSF’s Anyanacho scoops medal, award

    Dakar Taekwondo Open: CCSF’s Anyanacho scoops medal, award

    Profile of Elizabeth Anyanacho of Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) continues to rise as the teenage claimed her second international medal after claiming gold in the women’s -67kg as well as the best female athlete award at the Dakar International Taekwondo Open held at the Ndiaye Stadium in Senegal.

    Also, her teammate, Peter Itiku also proved his worth as the 17-year-old settled for bronze medal in the men’s +80kg of the championships.

    Elizabeth Anyanacho, who also clinched gold medals and best player awards earlier this year at the Korea Cup in Accra Ghana and CCSF Prix Series I had her work cut out for her in Dakar.

    In the explosive semi-final battle against USA’s Ben Yessouf Tekiath ended in a 6 – 6 stalemate but Anyanacho prevailed over her vicious opponent in the golden point round.

    In the final, the Nigerian was fighting against the hosts and with a full capacity crowd cheering on her opponent – Senegal’s Aminata Deme. But with ease Anyanacho pounded the home girl 8 – 0 to secure a convincing victory.

    Peter Itiku, who also won gold medals at the Korea Cup in Accra and CCSF Prix Series I in Abuja, beat Senegal’s National Team player, Malick Niang [8 – 5] in the first round, trounced Therno Diop of Senegal’s University Club [12 – 4].

    He continued his fine form against Senegal’s El Hadji Fall of As Pririne Club [11 – 5] in the quarter-finals before losing to Senegal’s National Player, Laye Seye [11 – 1] in the semi-finals. Seye had earlier on conquered Cape Verde’s Soares Lenine and Mali’s Toumani Diabate en route to adding the Nigerian to the list in the semi-finals.

    For golden girl Anyanacho, participation at the event was an important learning curve in her early career. “Our mentor, Chika Chukwumerije, kept us calm. He told us to just focus on all the things we learnt in training and try it out here. That focusing on our performance was more important than focusing on medals. That is what I did, and I am happy I have gained valuable experience. I know there is a lot to learn and I will try and keep my focus moving forward,” she said.

    Bronze medalist, Peter Itiku, was equally upbeat on the future. “I have never had so many fights in one day and I gained so much from the entire experience. I know I lost the tactical battle in the semi-finals and I will work hard to continue to improve my competitive ability,” he said.

    World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) certified referee and two-time African Champion, Margaret Elizabeth Binga, who officiated at the event, applauded the efforts of the young athletes.
    More than 300 competitors from 19 countries participated at the Dakar International Opens, which was organized by three-time African Champion Balla Dieye in partnership with the Senegal Taekwondo Federation.

  • CCSF Prix Series excites taekwondists

    CCSF Prix Series excites taekwondists

     

     

     

    Taekwondists that featured in the inaugural Chika Chukwumerije Sports Festival (CCSF) Prix Series were thrilled with the quality of the organisation and standard of the one-day championship.

    78 kids from thirteen taekwondo clubs in the FCT competed in four age categories, while 40 athletes from five states participated in the adult category.

    The indoor boxing gym of the old parade ground sports complex in Abuja was besieged by fans who had pay to watch the fights.

    Parents who came to watch their kids compete at the event were equally thrilled with what they saw. For Mr Maduka Okafar, parent of 4-year old Chikamsi Okafor, who won a gold medal in that category, this event is wonderful for the kids.

    “There is no event like this anywhere and this presents a wonderful opportunity for many kids who want to experience competitions. The organisation was excellent and even though there are many areas for improvement, this was a great start for the event.”

    In the Kiddies event, Brickhall Taekwondo came away as the top club at the even with a total of eight medals – three gold, four silver and 1 bronze; followed by Korean Cultural Centre Taekwondo and Eagle Taekwondo which tied for second place at five medals apiece – 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze.

    In the adult series, CCSF topped the medal table eight medals – 3gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze; Lagos based club Q-Madi came in second position with two gold medals, A.B.U Zaria came in third position with a solitary gold medal.

  • Chukwumerije for WTF coaching certification in US

    Chukwumerije for WTF coaching certification in US

     

    To update his knowledge as well as adhere to the rules of World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), three-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije at the weekend departed for Las, Vegas USA to participate in a coaching certification programme, scheduled to hold on January 30.

    The certification will precede the commencement of the 2017 US Taekwondo Opens with athletes drawn across the globe for the four-day championship.

    Chukwumerije, a certified taekwondo technical expert of the Kyang Hee University in South Korea will be eleigibible to coach at WTF-ranked event after his certification.

    The event will take place at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino with a 2-hour session for the Kyreougi event and a 2-hour session for the Poomsae event and the Beijing Olympic Games bronze medalist has registered for both events.

      “Nigeria Taekwondo must not be caught on the back foot when it comes to starting at the fore-front of issues. Even though that this trip is a personal sacrifice, it is a necessary one if we are to remain relevant on the global stage,” he said.

      The 2007 African Games gold medalist added: “With the rules changing every few months, our National teams and upcoming players need to know the latest changes and factor it into their training sessions so they can have the advantage at major internationals.”

     

  • CCSF takes taekwondo inspiration to Minna

    CCSF takes taekwondo inspiration to Minna

    As part of its efforts to inspire more educated athletes to embrace Sport, 10 athletes from the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) went head-to-head with athletes from Niger State over the weekend in what was a three-day collaborative taekwondo competition session, held at the 123 State Gym Minna.

    According to CCSF, the purpose of the event was “to expose upcoming taekwondo athletes on both sides to the divide to the latest taekwondo technology in a competitive situation, while exchanging training ideas and methodologies”

    Team Niger comprised of eighteen athletes culled from the Niger State taekwondo team, Federal University of Technology Minna, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai Taekwondo Team, Federal Polytechnic Bida Taekwondo Team, Himma International College Taekwondo Team and Maryam Babangida Girls College Taekwondo Team

    For the state coach, Master Harrison Okorie, “the event was a very inspiring one. We learnt new techniques during the training session and the competition session, and I believe the experience will help our boys and girls in the forthcoming National Sports Festival”

    Master Harrison who was formerly the taekwondo coach of plateau also thanked the 3-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije for the consistent impact he has made on the sport.

    “I thank God for Chika and the help he has been rendering to Taekwondo and the coaches. His coming has opened the eyes of some of our students to know that there are things they are supposed to improve on

    For Niger State black-belt competitor, Nuru Al Hassan, the event was knowledge driven.

    “In these three days, we learnt more techniques, experienced discipline in a totally new dimension, and met new faces. The electronic equipment we used gave us more experience on how to use it, especially for most of us that it was our first time to use the equipment”

  • Rio: Criticisms trail Mikel’s appointment as Nigeria captain

    Rio: Criticisms trail Mikel’s appointment as Nigeria captain

  • Olympian Chukwumerije gets British Council award

    Olympian Chukwumerije gets British Council award

    For his efforts to add value to taekwondo, coupled with his exceptional contribution and commitment to creating positive social change and improving the lives of others, three-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije has been honoured at the inaugural Education UK Alumni Award for “Social Impact” at an event held at the Intercontinental Hotel Lagos, and organized by the British Council in collaboration with UK Education.

    Chukwumerije, a bronze medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in China was rewarded alongside other well-meaning Nigerians.

    Five Nigerians were slected in the social impact award and they included (Durotimi Adeboye, Chukwudera Bridget Okeke, Olasoji Fagbola, Oluwasijibomi Ojajuni) who had done amazing things and made equally important impact in their various fields.

    Reacting to the award, the 2007 African Games gold medalist said: “If I could, I would have divided the award in FIVE, because I was inspired by their stories when it was told on that night. The work that is being done was not started with the purpose of winning any award.

    “The greatest reward will be to see that participants in our programs do very well for themselves for decades to come, and point back to these programs as the turning point in their lives. There are many people to thank [in no particular order] whose contribution has, in one way or the other, influenced the work I currently do with my Sports Foundation.”

    “I want to thank the British Council for providing this platform to recognize and encourage Nigerians doing inspirational things in their various careers. I want to thank Ms. Faith Osiobe, who nominated me without my permission and literally bullied me through the application process.

    “I want to thank Dan Stephenson, who personally took my application to the University of Liverpool in 2009, and then flew all the way to Lagos just for the Award night last weekend. I want to thank the University of Liverpool for such a beautiful learning experience while I was there. Concepts like value creation, time and resources management, waste elimination, operations and strategy became real in my daily life, and helped me totally revamp my approach to my work,” he added.

    According to the organizers, the professional achievement award recognises alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership and achievements in their professional industry, and who can demonstrate the highest level of integrity and character in their professional career.

      Other awardees are Maupe Ogun, alumni of University of East Anglia won the professional achievement award, Gbolahan Fagbure of University of Reading claimed the Entrepreneurial Award, while Chukwumerije, alumni of University of Liverpool won the Social Impact Award.