The Nation Newspaper

Tag: World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)

  • 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.

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    “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 hails two world-ranked Nigerian para-taekwondo athletes

    George Ashiru, the President of Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), has applauded the feat of two para-taekwondo athletes who have been listed among the top five in the world.

    Ashiru told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos he was well pleased with the athletes’ latest ranking in world para-taekwondo by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).

    NAN reports that the two athletes, Faith Obazuaye and Samson Ukpera, moved into the WTF top five in their category.

    Obazuaye jumped from sixth to third in the women’s K44 under-58 kg division, while Ukpera moved up six spots to fifth in the men’s K42 under – 61kg division.

    “This new ranking is commendable.

    “I commend the contributions of these athletes who have exhibited impressive performances at international meets, which have helped to place them in their current positions,’’ Ashiru said.

    NAN reports that both athletes had won laurels for the country at para-taekwondo championships in 2016 and 2017.

    Obazuaye won a gold medal in the female K44 (-58kg) category, while Ukpera clinched the male K42 (-61kg) gold medal also at the para-taekwondo championships in Kigali, Rwanda.

    The championships were held from April 1 to April 2.

    The athletes featured in the 2016 edition held in Egypt, where Obazuaye clinched gold medal in the female class and Ukpera also won bronze medal in the male class.

    The NTF president recounted how delighted he was when he got news of the athletes’ new ranking.

    “I was delighted when the information from the WTF hit my mail this morning, where our paraathletes were ranked among the top five in the world.

    “This ranking is based on culmination of several efforts from the recent results of competitions, and this is a good development for the taekwondo family and the country at large, and it is praiseworthy,’’ he said.

    Speaking also, Obazuaye who expressed happiness to find her name among the world’s best five told NAN that she had always aspired to have national and international recognition in her career.

    “In fact, I don’t know what to say. But I thank God that my dream is coming to reality because the journey to this position was not easy,’’ she said.

    Ukpera, in his reaction, said he was grateful to the NTF for its tremendous support.

    He said this had given him the opportunity to exhibit his talent and represent the country at international competitions.

    Ukpera said it was such support and encouragement that helped him to perform credibly at WTF-organised championships and which made it possible for him to improve and be well ranked.

    Saidu Abdullahi, an NTF board member, said while reacting that the ranking was a good development for taekwondo in the country, as well as the para taekwondo athletes.

    Abdullahi said he was proud of the athletes for making the nation proud and for their impressive performances at the tournaments which gave birth to the recent WTF ranking.

    “Our para-athletes have really done well. They have proved to the world that Nigeria has worthy talents. I am impressed,’’ he said.(

  • Nigeria missing at World Junior Taekwondo Championships

    Nigeria missing at World Junior Taekwondo Championships

    As most of the power-houses as well as developing countries in Africa present at the 2016 World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Canada, Nigeria is conspicuously missing among the participating nations at the five-day tournament.
    African top teams like Egypt, Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali were competing at the championship while developing nations like Rwanda and Botswana also featured with the two nations getting scholarships to support their athletes in readiness for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
    With the curtains drawn on the championship at the weekend, the world taekwondo ruling body believes the tournament serves as roadmap to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan and when the African top nations are availing themselves of the opportunity to present athletes for the championship, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) is still in the woods, as the federation is still awaiting support from the Ministry of youth and Sports to kick-start their programme.
    According to the WTF President Chungwon Choue “I am happy to be here in the wonderful city of Burnaby, with its warm welcome,” said Choue. “The junior championships are the roadmap to the 2020 Olympic Games: You are the future of taekwondo.”
    The 2016 World Taekwondo Junior Championships will be the 11 edition of the Championships, which are held every two years. This event featured five days of competition involving some of the best young taekwondo athletes from around the world. Traditionally South Korea, Russia, Chinese Taipei, China, Great Britain, France and Mexico are significant powerhouses in Taekwondo, producing top performances and Olympic Champions.
    The top five national places in the championships went to Iran, Chinese Taipei, Russia, Turkey, and Korea in the female division. In the male division, the top five nations were Korea, Russia, Turkey, Iran and Chinese Taipei.
    Canada’s Skylar Park (-59kg) was named female MVP; the male MVP award went to Korea’s Chan-Ho Jung (-55kg). The Best Coach award in the female division was won by Fatemeh Safarpour from Iran; in the male division it was won by Jung-ho Kim of Korea. The Best Referee awards were given to Yassin Abdullah ai Naimat from Jordan, Eid Fairouz Mesmari from UAE, Panikos Loizou from Cyprus, and Eric Wah from Canada and Guler Gencturkoglu from Turkey. The Good Fighting Spirit Award was won by Brazil, while the Active Participation Award was won by Australia. Over 800 athletes between the ages of 14 to 17 competed in 10 weight divisions for both males and females.

  • Nigeria misses out from taekwondo wildcard of Rio Olympics

    Nigeria may have missed out from the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) wildcard after the world taekwondo ruling body made known the list of nations for the wildcard slots.

    It would be recalled that the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) said they would apply for wildcard after the four-man team to the continental qualifiers in Morocco failed to win a slot to Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

    However, NationSport leaned on Thursday via MasTaekwondo website that WTF has announced Haiti, Nepal, Honduras and Somalia as winners of the wildcard as defined by the Tripartite Commission of Olympic Games.

    According to the website, the four wildcards to Río 2016 Olympic were defined at the preparation Camp of the Olympics Games, in South Korea.

    According to the document scooped by Mas Taekwondo, the weights to each team were: Haiti, in -67kg women, Nepal, in +67kg women, Honduras, in -80kg men, and Somalia, in -58kg men.

    Also the athletes’ names are Faisal Jeylani Aweys of Somalia, Aniya Louissant of Haití, Nisha Rawal of Nepal and Miguel of Honduras. The weight distribution was made by Brazil the host of the Olympic Games which chose the remaining four weights.

    Meanwhile, WTF has confirmed 124 athletes from 60 nations for Rio Olympic Games in Brazil.

    In Africa, 11 countries produced the 19 athletes that will compete at the Rio Olympics while Nigeria will be conspicuously missing being the first time the West African giant will not be competing at the Olympic Games since 2004 in Athens, Greece.