N2.6m at stake as registration commences for CCSF International Taekwondo Opens

Over N2.6m will at be at stake as the registration for the 3rd Chika Chukwumerije Sports Festival (CCSF) International Taekwondo Opens begins for athletes and teams.

The three-day championship holds at Ladi Kwali Hall of the Sheraton Hotel Abuja from October 22 to 27, 2015.

According to CCSF, the tournament is aimed at discovering prospective athletes for the Rio 2016 Olympics, showcase the entertainment potential of a well-organized sporting event, and promote the image of Nigeria to foreign visitors.

This year’s edition is expected to be more entertainment-oriented with the award ceremony shifted to a third day to coincide with a musical concert, and table-tennis matches planned alongside a FIFA mini-tournament for PS 4 lovers to run concurrently with the main event.

The last edition, which received a commendation from the National Sports Commission (NSC) had over nine countries, 26 states, eight Universities, as well as teams from the Para Military and Armed Forces participating.

The numbers are expected to be higher in this year’s edition with 12 countries expected to grace the event, in addition to active participation from the Nigeria Taekwondo community.

The tournament, which is set to apply to gain a World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) G-1 ranking status for 2016, is expected to attract over 1200 spectators during the three-day tournament with a total prize money of N2.8m alongside free equipment worth over N1m, which is to be given to medalists and participants.

Some notable champions expected at the event include 2014 US Opens Gold Medallist, Alfaga Abdoul-Razak Issoufou [+87kg] of Niger Republic [ranked 22 in the World], 2015 Grand Prix Champion, Cheick Salah Cisse [-80kg] of Cote D’Ivoire [ranked 11 in the World], double World Bronze Medallist [2013, 2015] and current Africa Champion, Ismael Coulibaly [-74kg] of Mali [ranked 19th in the World], amongst others.

Nigeria Champions expected to fend off both local and international competition include Commonwealth Gold Medalists, Josephine Esuku [-46kg], Jamilu Mohammed [-58kg], Shola Olowookere [-63kg] and Isah Adams Abubakar [-58kg], all National Team members expected to fight at the All African Games in a fortnight.

COMMONWEALTH GOLD MEDALLISTS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT 1ST AFTU INT’L TAEKWONDO OPENS

The duo of 2014 Commonwealth Taekwondo Gold medallists, Abubakar Isah Adamu, and veteran fighter, Jamilu Mohammed are set to compete in the -58kg category, at the 1st AFTU International Opens, billed to hold at the Alexandria Olympic Centre, in Alexandria Egypt on 21st and 22nd February, 2015.

Adamu, who just turned 18 years old on 15th February, will be coached by 3-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije, who successfully guided the rising star alongside Shola Olowookere to Gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. Jamilu Mohammed, who is also the current African Champion, will be coached by IOC-certified coach, Ibrahim Yahuza of Kano state.

Young Adamu will be eager to continue from where he stopped in year 2014, where he won Gold medals at the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships, Lagos Opens and Korean Ambassador’s Team Cup, in addition to representing Nigeria at the World Junior Championships and Youth Olympic Qualifiers.

However, the AFTU Opens will present a unique set of challenge to one of Nigeria’s bright taekwondo talents, as this is the first time Adamu will be competing in the adult category at the international level. Nonetheless, he remains optimistic about his chances.

Taekwondo Team to the 2014 Commonwealth Taekwondo Games [L-R: Judith Usifoh, Adaeze Asigbe, Chiamaka Onumonu, Shola Olowookere, Sunday Onofe, Chinazum Nwosu, Jamilu Mohammed, Josephine Esuku, Shola Olushola, Adamu Abubakar Isah, Ebere Blessing Nwakanma and Team Captain & Athlete-Coach, Chika Chukwumerije]. Uche Chukwumerije and Murtala Mohammed are not in the picture

“I felt really light during training yesterday and my body is relaxed. I have been studying competition videos of my opponents and I look forward to what I expect to be an exciting experience in Alexandria, Egypt”

His mentor, and Beijing 2008 Bronze medallist, Chika Chukwumerije struck a more cautionary tone.

“Adamu is hugely talented, very ambitious and he works very hard at training sessions. He is still young and this is the first time he is competing in the senior category, and first time he will be competing this year. He is competing against opponents that compete regularly.

I would use all my experience to guide him through the competition, match by match, as it is important to try to remove as much pressure on him as possible. For now, the main focus is on the exposure and experience he gains, not the medal he wins”

The veteran player-coach went to urge huge brands to sign deals with Taekwondo’s rising stars while they were on the ascent.

“The two taekwondo revelations of the Commonwealth Games – Abubakar Adamu and Shola Olowookere – are no doubt going to win very important medals for Nigeria in the future. But it is hugely dependent on the investment that goes into them in the next few years.

They are the face of Nigeria Taekwondo’s future and I really encourage big brands to seize the opportunity to sign 3 – 4 year endorsement deals with them”

Medallists at 2014 Commonwealth Taekwondo Games [L-R: Adaeze Asigbe, Chika Chukwumerije, Shola Olowookere, Jamilu Mohammed, Esuku Josephine, Segun Olushola, Adamu Abubakar Isah, Uzoamaka Otuadinma, Ebere Blessing Nwakanma]

On the possibility that the Commonwealth Gold Medallists would meet each other during the course of the competition, the 3-time Olympian was indifferent.

“What does it matter? Jamilu is my team mate, so is Adamu and they are both Nigerians; one represents the experienced present of Nigeria Taekwondo while the other represents the talented exciting future of Nigeria Taekwondo. It is a win-win situation. Hopefully, they will get good draws and have a best case scenario where they meet in the finals”

Weigh-in and draws for the competition will be done on Friday, 20th February 2015, while Adamu and the more experienced Jamilu will take to the competition mat on Sunday, 22nd February 2015.

Their participation at the AFTU Opens is privately funded.

Among the 258 competitors registered for the World Taekwondo Federation ranked G1 tournament are National Teams and Clubs from 37 countries including Spain, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, Peru, Congo, Greece, Egypt, France, United States, Jordan, Cyprus, Morocco, Tunisia, Germany, Spain, Russia, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ukraine, Sweden, Brazil, Australia, Cote d’Ivoire. Algeria, Netherlands, Mali, Yemen, Belgium, Libya, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Algeria, Canada, Italy, New Zealand and Niger Republic.

Nigeria Taekwondo Federation Will Build On Success Of Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships in Scotland – George Ashiru

DG NSC, Gbenga Elegbeye, motivating the athletes before the beginning of the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships

Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) President, George Ashiru Speaking today after arrival of Nigeria of the Nigerian Taekwondo Team that won 10 medals at the just concluded Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships in Scotland Highlighted The plans that have been put in place by his federation to build on the success of Team Nigeria at the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championship.

“The NTF now has a new standard. 10 medals in an international championship. So, the pressure is on for maintaining and surpassing this new standard. It will be tough, but doable if the planning and resources are adequately engaged. We have a few new championships that will help discover new, taller athletes to meet the new electronic order of Taekwondo Ashiru Said”

Head Coach, Grandmaster Jin Beom Kim, holds a briefing session with players on arrival in Scotland

The NTF President also stated that The Korean Ambassador Championships in December will help the Federation begin to find more potentials for high performance training.

“In March we want to have a Collegiate Team Championships to bring in talents from the higher institutions. Also, we will be doing a special High Performance Coaching Workshop about February 2015 for all of our state and national coaches to bring them up to speed on coaching pedagogy and practical athlete management skills”.

Double Medallist, Josephine Esuku, shows off her Medals

George Ashiru also highlighted the fact that the national high performance centre is key to his Federations strategy for 2015, Saying that a full time training centre where we can invite champions and potentials for continous training and monitoring is on the top of the list of requirements for the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation.

“In the first quarter of next year we will be sending athletes for continuous open camping at the NSC high performance centre in Abuja. By the time we have the National Sports Festival in April we ought to have the face of a new national team that can be rigourously prepared for the African Games and World Championships of 2015” Said the NTF Boss.

Medallists at 2014 Commonwealth Taekwondo Games [L-R: Adaeze Asigbe, Chika Chukwumerije, Shola Olowookere, Jamilu Mohammed, Esuku Josephine, Segun Olushola, Adamu Abubakar Isah, Uzoamaka Otuadinma, Ebere Blessing Nwakanma]

“The NTF is embarking on simultaneous development of all the faces of Taekwondo. Sparring (Kyorugi), Poomsae (Forms), and Para-Taekwondo Development. This is important as each has their own medals count. We have focussed on Sparring development for too long and neglected the other areas of training. In Edinburgh, our first 3 medals came from the Forms which we just started encouraging a few years ago” .

Team Captain & Athlete-Coach, Chika Chukwumerije, poses with some members of the team on arrival in Scotland

Ashiru Concluded by confirming that Taekwondo is on the way to being a Para-Lympic event in 2020 and that Nigeria would need to begin aggressive recruitment and training of that category of athletes before the podium becomes available. “We need to be at the same level as other nations when Taekwondo becomes a paralympic event”.