Nigeria’s latest taekwondo revelations, Abubakar Isah Adamu and Shola Olowookere, repeated their golden Commonwealth feat by bagging gold medals in the just concluded Lagos Opens, held at Rowe Park, Lagos.
The tournament, organized by the Lagos State Taekwondo Association and sanctioned by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, attracted a total of 195 fighters from across Nigeria, and had in attendance most members of the historic Taekwondo National Team to the 2014 Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships, where Nigeria Taekwondo got their biggest medal haul records since 1987 All African Games.
It can be recalled that Adamu and Olowookere, who are both 17 year old, won the first Gold medals in the Kyreougi [fighting] during the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships, and have been touted by Taekwondo pundits as the future of Nigeria Taekwondo.
Sunday Onofe, who narrowly missed out on a medal in Edinburgh, won the Gold medal in the -87kg Middleweight division, and Chiamaka Onumonu who also narrowly missed out on a medal in Eddinburgh defeated her fellow bronze-medal winning commonwealth teammate, Uzoamaka Otuadinma, in a keenly contested final of the +67kg Olympic weight division. Judith Ehis, who also missed out on a Commonwealth medal, blazed through all opposition to clinch the Gold in the consolidated -67kg Olympic weight division.
Captain of the Commonwealth Taekwondo Team, Chika Chukwumerije came as coach of his young Team Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF), guiding his three athletes to two medals – one gold and one silver.
Commenting on the overall performance of his team mates at the Lagos Opens, Chukwumerije noted, “The obvious gap in tactical knowledge between his team mates and the rest of their opponents, and the sheer amount of self-confidence exhibited en route to their respective victories”.
While congratulating his team mates, he noted that the tournament provided ample opportunity for the National Technical Crew to look at prospective new entrants to the National Team”.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic bronze medallist also expressed his delight at the progress of 17 year old Adamu and Olowookere, noting that their recent form was very good for Nigeria Taekwondo, as 2015 was a very important year.
He encouraged companies to support them by sponsoring their training development programs, and giving them sporting scholarships.
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