NSCDC, Ogun, Dominate Korea Ambassador Taekwondo Tourney

The Nigeria Security and Civic Defence Corps and Ogun State were the dominant athletes at the just concluded 7th Ambassador’s Taekwondo tournament rounded up in Lagos last Saturday.

NSCDC emerged top with four gold medals ahead of Team Ogun that came second with three gold, one silver and one bronze. The third position went to Team Kebbi that clinched two gold and three bronze medals.

Ogun State fighter, Richard Oyenusi, won the overall best male athlete award while his team mate Halimat Animasaun also of team Ogun emerged as the best female athlete of the entire championship. Nelson Oluigbo of Ogun state was adjudged as the best referee of the tournament while the best coach of the tournament award went to coach Samson Ajayi also of team Ogun.

Over 300 taekwondoists drawn from 22 states and 25 clubsides from across the country and three international teams from west Africa featured at the three-day exercise at Molade-Okoya Thomas Multipurpose Hall inside Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

At the grand finale, Korean Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr Noh Kyu Duk said that the 7th Korean Ambassador’ Cup Taekwondo, marked the 30th anniversary of establishing Taekwondo in Nigeria to support the growth of the sport. He promised that Asian country will continue to support and encourage the development of the game in Nigeria. “That informs the decision of the Korean Government to send an expert in the art of taekwondo, Grandmaster Kim Jim Beorn to Nigeria to continue to train both the athletes and coaches”. Adding that, taekwondo is already being taught in some Nigerian, schools as extracurricular activity.

“We have also noticed that Taekwondo as an Olympic event, is one of the most popular sports being practiced in Nigeria with over 250,000 youths involved in it hence our continous promotion for the growth and development of the game.

“Hopefully, with our commitment coupled with the efforts of the sports ministry, Nigeria will not only qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Taekwondo event, but will go to Japan and win medals,” Mr Noh Kyu-Duk, concludes.