The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Taekwondo

  • Difficult tasks of teaching kids

    Difficult tasks of teaching kids

    Until I started mentoring kids in Taekwondo at the Brickhall School Abuja, I thought that winning an Olympic medal was my hardest sporting feat ever. Had I known that white hairs would have sprouted just within a year of commencing this project, I would perhaps have respected myself and kept to just mentoring my teenage taekwondo team.

    But the honest truth is that I have come to appreciate even more all the hours that was spent on me when I started Taekwondo as a three-year old. In fact, my experience with the first three-year olds I handled, a pair of energetic twins whom I nick-named “Ninja Turtle” and “Rugrat” after some famous cartoons, made me shift the acceptance age from three to four in the Taekwondo Centre.

    Hey, Ninja Turtle, kick this pad five times”, I would instruct. I would be lucky to get even two kicks before he runs off to grab a cone, point at some bird flying outside the window, or simply starts laughing at something his twin brother just did. It was seemingly impossible to grab their attention for more than five seconds at any time.

    The answer to every “do you understand?” inquiry is an emphatic nod of the head or a reassuring yes but, after correcting for what seems like a thousand times, the same mistake is always almost made.

    After several months of training, two kids of the same age would have two very different responses to the same high quality of training received. With one looking like “Jet Li” already, it was puzzling why the other was stuck with the martial art skills of “Homer Simpson”

    But, with love and patience, we keep on teaching and explaining in detail without appreciating that impact was being made in small unseen doses. I have come to understand why parents look one day at you over the dinner table and exclaim, “oh my, you have grown!” as a realization sets in from some action you take or some words you say. The day-to-day growth is always in small unseen doses. This is what I realized when I travelled for just two weeks to Las Vegas and came back to the little ninjas.

    It was only then that I saw that they had come a long way from pointing at birds through the windows and leaving their backpacks at the entrance. Their shoes and bags were well arranged at the place where we had screamed long enough that they should put it. At the command to form a line and stand at attention, they completed the task within 10 seconds. Their blocks were better and their knees were at the proper place when they were kicking.

    It was this same week that the team was registered against other established kiddies’ clubs for the inaugural CCSF prix series, which eventually held in March at the Old Parade Ground, FCT Abuja. The intent was simple – expose them to competitions, even if they won no medals. With my hands occupied with organization outside of the competition venue, I did not get to see any of the kids fight. The next day, I was amazed to find out that Brickhall Taekwondo topped the medal table.

    I had to double-check twice to make sure it was no mistake. Apparently, all those consistent hours of correcting, teaching, explaining and throwing hands up in exasperation was having an impact.

    Here are three secrets to training kids to be champions.

    One, quality instructors. It is important that the kids have a great foundation with the proper techniques and all round sports training.

    I never lose sleep when I do not have the time to be at the center personally because replacing me is current Commonwealth Gold Medallist, Josephine Esuku, who opts to mentor the kids in her spare time. Surely, kids being taught by a 3-time Olympian and a Commonwealth Gold Medallist will have seriously mileage to show for it as time goes on.

    Two, investment of time

    There is no shortcut for this one. Mentoring kids needs time. Often, there are so many responsibilities pulling here and there that tempts one to delegate or procrastinate. If you want to train champion kids, one must make out time to ensure that the child attends all scheduled sessions and events. Furthermore, attention must be given to every detail to turn the kids into formidable champions.

    Three, investment of material resources

    Kids that train with the right equipment and in reasonably good infrastructure stand high chances of becoming kid champions. Imagine a farmer tilling the soil with a modern day tractor against another farmer using a hoe. Can you imagine the disparity in output after a full year of farming?

    In summary, turning kids into champions is a rewarding but difficult long term process that requires investment in quality instructors who have quality training methods and quality equipment in reasonable infrastructure.

  • 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.

  • Taekwondo Open: Team Nigeria miss medals table

    Taekwondo Open: Team Nigeria miss medals table

    The four-man Team Nigeria contingent to the US Taekwondo Open was nowhere near the medal zone as the best outing was by Isah Adamu Abubakar, who fought his way to the last eight in the men’s -58kg of the championship held at the West Gate Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.
    Abubakar, Commonwealth gold medallist, who was the 6th ranked player in the his weight category, beat Canada’s Alexandre Lavallee 18 – 9 in the first round, edged out, Spain’s Adrian Del Rio Guerrero 12 -11 in a nail-biting affair before succumbing to the number one seed, 2016 Grand Prix gold medallist and former junior World Champion, Mexico’s Carlos Ruben Navarro Valdez 23 – 7 in the quarter-finals.
    In the same weight category, Nigeria’s Usman Sulaiman, who was on the other side of the competition draws, lost 15 – 12 to US’s Joshua Vuong Salamanca in the preliminary round.
    In the male -63kg category, it was a similar tale for Nigeria’s African silver medallist, Edwin Samson who lost to Chinese Taipei’s Kuang Hou 24 – 16. In the -80kg category, former National Champion,Saturday Bashir was equally edged out in the first round by Canada’s Stefano Panos Hovnanian, after the Canadian came back from a 4 – 0 deficit to win the match at 7 – 9.
    For commonwealth gold medallist, Adamu Abubakar, the experience will only make him work harder. “In the past 6 months, I have won the Puerto Rico Opens which is a G-1 tournament and the President’s Cup which is a G-2 tournament. I am sad that I could not repeat the feat at the US opens, but I learnt a lot from my loss. At the same time, I gained some vital world ranking points. I will keep working hard on my weaknesses that were uncovered at this tournament.”
    For 2015 African Games silver medalist, Edwin Samson, “It is all part of the learning process. This is why we came here in order to get this exposure and keep pushing forward. We are well on track to Tokyo 2020 if we keep training and competing like this.”
    Nigeria’s 3-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije, who was at the event to obtain the mandatory WTF coach permit and also observe Nigerian athletes, commended the personal efforts being made by the athletes to gain vital exposure and experience.
    “These boys are here on their own as no one paid for their tickets, accommodation or training fees. It is a sacrifice that will be beneficial to the country sooner rather than later, “he said.

  • Team Nigeria begins campaign at US taekwondo open

    Team Nigeria begins campaign at US taekwondo open

    Team Nigeria will today kick-start their campaign to mount the podium at the 2017 World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)-sanctioned US Open as the quartet of Isah Adamu Abubakar, Usman Sulaiman, Edwin Samson and Saturday Bashir take to the mats.
    The athletes are all based in the United States with Abubakar and Sulaiman competing for honours in the men’s -58kg, Samson – 2015 African Games silver medallist will battle for the podium in the -63kg, while experienced Bashir battles for a medal in the 80kg.
    Having been drawn with their various opponents, Samson who was part of Team Nigeria to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers in Morocco said: “I think I am ready for this challenge. I have been hurting since I closely missed out on qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and I have started my preparations to make sure that Tokyo 2020 will be different.”
    Also former national champion, Bashir admitted that “the US taekwondo opens is a difficult tournament to win. So many fantastic fighters come from all over the world. I am excited to be in the mix of it all and fighting to win a place on the podium.”
    Apart from Team Nigeria, other African teams aiming for medals at the event include Niger Republic, Senegal, Egypt, Uganda and Cape Verde. The highest profile African competing at the event will be Niger Republic’s Abdoulrazak Alfaga, who won a Silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, a first Olympic medal for the tiny nation of Niger Republic, and he is currently the African Champion in the +87kg heavyweight category.
    Nigeria’s triple Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije, is also at the event to observe the performance of the Nigerians as well as assessment the growing strength of the African opposition, ahead of 2019 All African Games.
    Over 2464 Competitors registered for the 2017 USA Taekwondo Opens to participate in both the kyreougi and Poomsae events, which are categorised into kiddies, cadets and adults. Para-taekwondo will also feature at the event. The adult kyreougi event and para-taekwondo event have a G-1 ranking status from the World Taekwondo Federation.

  • Nigeria Taekwondo team fails to pick Olympics ticket

    For the first time since 2004, the Nigerian Taekwondo team will not be competing at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

    The four-man team failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in its history. All fighters lost in the Semi-Finals.

    African Champion, Uzoamaka Otuadinma, and African Games silver medallist, Chinazum Nwosu both narrowly lost to Morocco while Edwin  Samson lost to Senegal via second round stoppage via kick to mouth.

    Earlier, Jamilu Mohammed had been disqualified for overweight in the men’s -58kg. Finalists in each weight category are expected to qualify automatically for the Olympics.

    To berth in the semi-final, Samson beat athletes from Togo and Algeria while Nwosu defeated an Ethiopian and Otuadinma beat Swaziland.

    Having featured in the last three Olympics in Athens, Beijing and London, Nigeria will be conspicously missing in action at the Rio Olympics Games in Brazil.

    Meanwhile, on the first day of the qualifiers, êight  countries picked up Rio 2016 tickets with DR Congo, Cape Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia & Niger Republic berthing in Brazil.

  • Olympics: Taekwondists depart for Morocco

    Olympics: Taekwondists depart for Morocco

     

    Since Athens 2004 Olympics in Greece, Nigeria has maintained 100 percent appearance at the multi-sports tournament, as the four-am team departed yesterday for the Rio Olympic Qualifiers in Morocco, Coach John Victor believes the team has the quality to ensure that Nigeria’s record remains intact at the games.

    The team departed the country aboard an Air Maroc Airline yesterday enroute Rabat to Agadir, venue of the championship and Coach Victor told NationSport the athletes made up of two male and two female are capable of winning more than two slots to Brazil.

    The athletes are medalists at the 2015 African Games and they are hoping to compete against fighters from Egypt, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Algeria, among others.

    “I think they are capable of doing well for the country and for themselves. They know the importance of qualifying for the Olympics because that is the biggest stage for every athlete. Nigeria has always qualified for the Olympics and I am sure these athletes will not reduce the standard. They have trained well for the qualifiers and what they need to do is to put every knowledge acquired during the training to practice. Most of their opponents are not new to them except Morocco, who did not participate at the African Games. I hope and pray that by this weekend, we will have good news for Nigerians,” Victor said.

    The first athlete to take to the ring on Saturday February 6 is Mohammed Jamilu, who is expected to battle 11 competitors to be able to secure one of the two slots in his weight category.

    Uzoamaka Otuadinma, 2015 African Games gold medalist will be competing in the women +67kg and the odds remain heavily in her favour, as there are only five persons registered in her category for the qualifiers, by far the least of all the weight categories. To qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics, the 24 year-old needs to win only one match to qualify as she is already in the Semi-Finals.

    23-year-old Chinazum Nwosu is one of the most consistent female fighters in Nigeria for the past six years and for the Olympic qualifiers in Agadir, there are 11 registered competitors in the female -57kg. This means that Nwosu will need to win two fights to qualify for the Olympics. Standing in her way to qualify for the Rio 206 Olympics will be the number one Africa seed, Bineta Diedhiou of Senegal who is ranked 22nd on the WTF Olympic standings.

    Edwin Samson is the least experienced of the Nigerian Olympic Taekwondo team, and also has won the least number of medals – national or international. With 20 registered competitors in his weight category, the most of all the categories, Samson theoretically faces the strongest opposition path to his Olympic dream amongst the entire Nigeria Taekwondo contingent.

  • Olympics qualifiers: I depend on my Morocco experience – Otuadinma

    Olympics qualifiers: I depend on my Morocco experience – Otuadinma

    Uzoamaka Otuadinma started taekwondo in late 2011 and few months later, she won gold at the National Sports Festival for Delta State. Her exploit has continued to aid her inclusion in the national team that at the 2014 Commonwealth Championship, she returned home with bronze medal while her presence at the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) tournament has also fetched her medals.

    As a debutant at the 2015 African Games, she defied all odds to win the only gold medal in taekwondo for Nigeria and now she is set to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament holding in Agadir, Morocco next month.

    “I am eager to enter the ring and compete at the Olympics Qualifiers because I am fully fit and ready to get one of the slots to Brazil. I can’t wait to get to Morocco because the experience I had during the 2015 African Games in Brazzaville has boosted my confidence and I am ready to wrestle for the slots with any athlete regardless of their pedigree,” she said.

    The Commonwealth medalist believes the training camp in Abuja has been helpful for their build up to the tournament in Morocco, while hoping that the four-man team representing Nigeria at the qualifiers would get the slots for Brazil. “We are all looking forward to the Morocco tournament and we are all in good shape. Our camping in Abuja has been helpful and we hope we can replicate everything we have been taught during the qualifiers. We are also hoping for good draw to be able to get the slots and make Nigeria proud,” she added.

    Aside Princess Dudu who qualified for the Athens 2014 Olympics, no female taekwondist has made it to the Olympics while efforts by the likes of Joy Ekhator could not secure her slot to the 2008 and 2012 Olympics in Beijing and London. But Otuadinma is hoping to break the jinx in Morocco from February 5 to 7.

    Nigeria will compete in four weight categories – -58kg, -68kg, -57kg, -67kg and it is expected to present two male and two female athletes for the qualifiers.

    At present, only three athletes from Africa have booked the places at the Rio 2016 Olympics based on the world ranking. They are 2012 Olympics Champion, Gabon’s Anthony Obame (+80kg), Egypt’s Hedaya Malak (-57kg) and Cote d’Ivoire’s Cheik Cisse (-80kg).

    Eight weight categories will be competed for in Morocco with finalists in each weight cadre getting automatic qualification to the Olympic Games in Brazil.

  • Taekwondo: African Games medalist Ekhator eyes Olympics slot in Algeria

    From 2007, Joy Ekhator has proved her worth by winning medals at her three appearances at the African Games.

    From her maiden appearance in Algiers, where she claimed silver, she had added two bronze medals at the 2011 and 2015 editions of the championship.

    However, her attempt to become the second Nigeria female taekwodist to feature at the Olympics has failed as she could not secure a spot at her appearances at the qualifiers.

    But the Edo State-born athlete who was recently promoted by the Nigeria Police told SportingLife recently that she is hoping that she can make it to Rio 2016 Olympics at the African qualifiers in Algeria next year.

    “I must admit that it has not been easy for me in all appearances at the African Games but I ensured that I did not return home empty-handed. Despite winning medals at the African Games, I have not been able to secure a place at the Olympic Games,” she regretted.

    But, she is not sure whether she would be part of the Nigeria’s four-man team to the Algeria’s qualifiers. “I know that the team that will represent is yet to be decided but I hope I can be part of the team but this time around I won’t make any mistake by making sure I make it to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. I am aware that it is the best from the continent that will be at the Qualifiers and everybody is there to make to Brazil. I promise that if I can be part of the team, I won’t make any mistake of not qualifying for the Olympics,” she vowed.

    Ekhator, meanwhile, lauded Chika Chukwumerije for staging an international tournament which has continued to attract world class athletes to Nigeria in the last four years.

    Apart from Princess Dudu who was at the 2014 Athens Olympics in Greece, no Nigerian female athlete has qualified for the Olympics in taekwondo and Ekhator is indeed aiming to equal Dudu’s records.

  • 3rd CCSF International Taekwondo Opens: African champion, Otuadinma talks tough

    Prior to her gold medal at the 2015 African Games, Uzoamaka Otuadinma has won bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Championship as well as the best female athlete at the 2014 Korean Ambassador’s Cup. However, the 25-year-old taekwondist believes she would be unstoppable at the 3rd Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) International Open holding in Abuja

    In the last three weeks, Uzoamaka Otuadinma has been honing her skills in readiness for the two-day tournament and she told SportingLife yesterday that being her second appearance at the tournament, nothing would stop her from clinching the gold that eluded her in 2014.

    “I am indeed looking forward to the CCSF Open because it will afford us the opportunity to test our strength against some of the best athletes in Africa. Apart from aiming for the gold, it will help most of us to be focused ahead of the Olympics qualifiers particularly the use of the electronic head gear which we will be using for the first time as athletes. I know it is going to be easy but I am eager to do better than the bronze medal I won in 2014 when the second edition of the championship was held,” she said.

    For Otuadinma, making it to the Rio 2016 Olympics remains her priority but competing at the CCSF Opens would have put her in good shape as well as the right frame of mind for the Olympics qualifiers holding in Morocco next year.

    Recalling her moment at the African Games in Brazzaville, Otuadinma admitted that she would forever cherish the period after her final tie against the Egyptian which fetched her gold medal in her debut at the games.

    Meanwhile, 24-man Malian team yesterday departed Bamako by road to Abuja to be part of the championship holding this weekend at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel. The team arrives Abuja through Lagos on Wednesday October 21.

  • Affiliates of taekwondo urged to start planning for 2016

    Affiliates of taekwondo urged to start planning for 2016

    THE President of Nigeria Taekwondo Referees Association (NTRA), Ferguson Oluigbo on Friday urged all affiliates of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation to begin to plan for their 2016 programmes.

    Oluigbo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that early unveiling of such plans would enable the federation ensure effective execution of their projects next year.

    “The year is gradually coming to an end and 2016 is around the corner, so our taekwondo bodies should begin to plan for their various programmes. Most corporate organisations and philanthropists also plan ahead and this is done with the proposals they have on their tables.

    “The reasons behind this idea are to re-strategise on measures to improve on activities of the various bodies so that the practitioners can enjoy an eventful year,’’ he added.

    Oluigbo said it was time the bodies took proactive steps to curb major challenges that adversely affect the progress of taekwondo.

    The NTRA President added that it was through the commitment of athletes at competitions that they could have the enabling environment to make progress in the sport.

    “Even with the proposals sent to corporate organisations, the bodies must keep a tab on them, visit and send them reminders so that they will carry them along in their budgets.

    “Sometimes it can be discouraging for athletes to be subjected to regular training without plans to have competitions. Such national competitions sometimes serve as a build up, for taekwondoist to be familiar with their fighting devices and current techniques in the sport,’’ he added.

    He, however, stressed the need for the bodies to properly account for funds donated by sponsors toward executing programmes.