CCSF Tournament To Be Considered As WTF G-1 Event

The annual Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) International Taekwondo Opens may become a World Taekwondo Federation may (WTF) Grade 1 event in 2016.

With this status, the tournament would become a point hauling event for athletes across the globe as taekwondists are expected to use the tournament to up their world ranking.

Being the first tournament in Africa to use the electronic head gear, the CCSF championship has continued to attract the best fighters on the continent with countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger Republic, Togo, Cameroun and Senegal taking part in this year’s tournament.

Efforts are on by the organizers of the CCSF Open to apply for the status from the world taekwondo ruling body.

Mali’s Golden Star, Karamoko Soumare, stands heads above Silver Medallist, Temitope Oyo [Nigeria National Team] and Bronze Medallists, Sunday Onofe [Nigeria National Team] and [MALI] during the medal ceremony for the +80kg category at the just concluded 3rd CCSF Opens

For the best athlete of this year’s tournament, Mali’s Karamoko Soumare (+80kg), attending the tournament has really exposed him to world class equipment which would aid him in subsequent tournaments.

“Having attended series of tournament across Africa, I realized that CCSF tournament stands out in terms of organization and quality of equipment. The atmosphere was also superb. Being my first time of taking part in the competition, I think the knowledge I acquired would be helpful to me in other international tournaments and I look forward to taking part in more CCSF tourneys,” the Malian star said.

Soumare who won gold in the men’s heavyweight category believes the quality of athletes in Nigeria is enormous while blaming their under-achievement on lack of exposure of most of their athletes. “I respect Nigerian athletes particularly with the pedigree of their athletes, but they have not been able to use this to their advantage at international tournaments. We attend a lot of international tournaments but I hardly see Nigerians competing and this has really affected their rating globally. But attending international competition is vital for any nation to improve her athletes,” he added.

AAG Silver Medallist and potential RIO 2016 Olympics Qualifier, Edwin Samson, outclasses an opponent en route to winning a bronze medal

Also silver medalist at the CCSF Opens, Cameroun’s Kamgue Silvre hailed the organizers for putting the colourful tournament together, which he described as a world class championship. “I am surprised with the quality of organization as well as the atmosphere which is of international standard. I am indeed looking forward to the next edition because I have been able to up my skills as well as improve my rating among the best fighters in Africa. Winning silver will surely improve my chance of representing my country at the Olympics qualifiers come 2016. When the tournament gets the WTF G-1 rating, I believe more athletes within and outside Africa will be part of the tournament,” Kamgue, winner of the fair play award said.

NSC To Partner CCSF On Taekwondo Development As NSCDC Dominates Tourney

Impressed with the ingenuity and immense contribution of Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) to taekwondo development and promotion, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has promised to enter into a four-year strategic partnership with the foundation.

However, the 3rd CCSF International Taekwondo Open witnessed a large turnout of athletes across the continent with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) dominating the eight events competed for at the two-day championship.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the championship held at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, Director General of NSC, Alhassan Yakmut said with what CCSF has been doing in terms of its programmes, it is clear that the foundation’s has been able to champion the ideals of the commission.

“I am convinced beyond any doubt that CCSF has done a lot to promote and develop taekwondo in Nigeria. For us at the NSC, we want to partner organizations like this because they are doing things that are in line with our vision. The atmosphere at this year’s tournament is what obtains globally in terms of international standard and I don’t think any reasonable person will not be impressed with what they have seen here tonight. Apart from the tournament, they have had workshops and other developmental activities to support the upcoming athletes. With this, NSC will be entering into a four-year strategic partnership with CCSF to champion the development and promotion of taekwondo which is an Olympic sport in Nigeria. So from 2016, the collaboration will take off with NSC fully supporting the foundation in all its activities,” Alhassan said.

After two days of competitive action, NSCDC confirmed why it is committed to sports in Nigeria when its athletes dominated the medals table at the 3rd CCSF Open concluded at the weekend.

NSCDC amassed four gold, one silver and four bronze medals to beat Mali and Niger Republic to second and third places on the medal table.

Mali again showed why it remains of the taekwondo power house in Africa when the two inspired by Soumare Karamoko won two gold and two bronze medals while Niger Republic won same number of gold with one silver and one bronze medals.

From the 284 athletes that featured in the competition which has the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)-certified referees handling proceedings, Mali’s Karamoko was voted the best male athlete while NSCDC’s Chinazum Nwosu won the best female diadem.

Cameroun’s sole representative who fought his way into the final in the men’s -80kg to clinch silver medal won the fair play award for his sportsmanship during the final match, which he lost to NSCDC’s Segun Olushola. Youthful Thursdaline Peter was adjudged the most outstanding referee of the championship.

NSCDC Promotes Quadri, Pledges Supports To Athletes

For his giant stride as a serving officer, the management of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has approved a special promotion for 2014 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Star Player, Aruna Quadri.

According to the Director of Sports, NSCDC, Ayodele Olusegun, Quadri’s global stride as well as his hardwork and exploit earned him the special promotion sanctioned by the Commandant General, Ade Abolurin whose support for athletes in the force has continued to grow.

“I want to say the Quadri has been a good ambassador of NSCDC and his exploits in table tennis globally has put the country on the world map. At NSCDC, we are touched by his determination and dedication to his trade and this has promoted the force under the leadership of sports loving Commandant General, Ade Abolurin to approve his special and accelerated promotion as an officer of the corps. From a Chief Corps Assistant (CCA), he has been promoted to Inspector of Corps and we will continue to support athletes like Quadri,” Olusegun said.

Aruna Quadri, credit ITTFMEDIA

Quadri’s progress in table tennis has indeed brought a lot of attention to Nigeria and Africa and NSCDC has pledged its support to the player who recently signed for a French club from his Portugal team.

An elated Quadri however, expressed his appreciation to the corps particularly the Commandant General for his enormous support both morally and otherwise, while promising to continue to work hard to raise the profile of the corps globally.

“I am very happy for this promotion and I want to specifically thank the Commandant General for having a listening hear and for considering me for this promotion and also my Director of Sports, who has remained the pillar of support for most athletes in the corps. I promise to make the corps proud wherever I find myself and I hope this will encourage other athletes to aim high in their chosen field of sports,” Quadri said.

Lagos Athletics Relays Championship Beginning s

The maiden Lagos Athletics Relays Championship scheduled for Teslim Balogun Stadium kicks off on Friday April 24 with over N8m at stake at the two-day tournament.

Over 50 schools in Lagos as well as states like Delta, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo including para military clubs like Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will be part of the competition.

According to the organizers, the championship is one of the series of tournament under the Lagos International Sports Classics, which has hosted and still hosting tournaments in table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, swimming, golf among others.

In all, nine events will be jostled for in the junior and senior categories with the grand finale holding on Saturday April 25 at same venue.

For the chairman, Lagos State Athletics Association, Olatunde Makanju, the competition is aimed at igniting the interest of students in athletes, adding that the maiden edition would provide avenue for the state to be hosting the best legs across the globe.

“From our observation, it has been discovered that athletics is going down in schools and we feel staging this kind of event would help to ignite the interest of the students to embrace the sport. Aside this, we are hoping that the tournament will become a world class event with the best athletes across the world coming to Lagos to compete in the prize-money competition. For us in Lagos, we are always setting the pace and we hope that this maiden edition will be a springboard for the sport to win more disciples and have more young people competing,” Makanju said.

Over 50 secondary schools in Lagos will compete in the junior division with athletes taking part in events like 4x100metre, 4x200m, 100 as well as Swedish relay in 100, 200, 300 and 400m. for their efforts, the top three athletes in each event will go home with N50, 000, N30, 000 and N20, 000 respectively.

In the senior category, states, clubs, tertiary institutions, military, para military organizations and foreign countries will compete in 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400, as well as sprint medley like 100, 200, 400 and 800metres. N120, 000, N80, 000 and N50, 000 respectively will be won by the top three athletes in each event.

NSCDC, Jaguar Dominate 5Th Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Championships

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Jaguar teams at the weekend ruled the 5th Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Championship.

NSCDC, the defending champion in the male category retained the title it won in 2013 after beating Oyo to the podium in the final while NSCDC female team could not repeat the feat of their male counterpart as they conceded defeat to Jaguar team at the three-day tournament held at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park in Lagos.

In the presence of the Minister of Sports/Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Tammy Danagogo, who described taekwondo as a sport with a lot of potential for Nigeria at international tournaments, NSCDC were at their best to clinch the coveted trophy ahead of others.

I have come to know that Taekwondo is one sport where Nigeria has lots of potentials and I am really impressed and elated that every effort is been made by the federation, government at all levels particularly the states and federal government and of course private individuals and corporate organization to ensure that we harness these talents for future podium performance,” the minister said.

To clinch the title for the second time, NSCDC overcame Oyo 37-22 points.

An excited member of the NSCDC male team, Bright Kolade attributed the victory to hardwork.

“We are the defending champions and I am so happy we won again this year. This is the second gold we are winning as a team in this tournament which makes it interesting because it is coming back to back. Special thanks to our coach because he did it. He is a national coach and I can say he is the best,” he boasted.

In the Poomsea event, Kano and Ogun dominated the event with Kano female team garnering 34.80points while Ogun led the male category with 30.10points closely followed by Lagos with 29.40points.

The Kano team was led by Commonwealth Champion, Adaeze Asigbe, who attributed their victory to determination and commitment of the team.

For the President, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), George Ashiru, the tournament was aimed at discovering the best of the bests that will represent the country in subsequent tournaments.

“In this year’s championship we are working with teams and because it is an open tournament, we can have like two teams from same state. We have about forty teams from all over the country including the armed forces and police. Even the civil defense teams who are the defending champions are here too. Basically, we are looking for the best of the bests, so this tournament is not a grassroots tournament. It is for teams with strong athletes coming together trying to compete”, the NTF boss said.

Registration For NTTF National Table Tennis League Ends 3rd Of October

The deadline for the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF)-organised national league has been fixed for Friday October 3.

According to the secretary general of NTTF, Chinedu Ezealah-Ogundare, teams that fail to conclude their registration would not take part in the N2.5m prize money tournament, which serves off on October 9.

In the tournament prospectus, 30 teams made up of 20 male and 10 female are expected to compete for diadem at the tournament, while four players are expected to constitute a team, which each team expected to garner points to qualify for the top eight and top four grand finale holding on October 17 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Also, the battle for the prize money will be among top teams like Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sunshine of Akure and Union Bank Sports Club in the men’s category while the battle for the coveted prize will be among the NSCDC and Calabar Rovers.

Teams are expected to arrive for the competition on October 8 for the championship scheduled to hold at the knock-up hall of the National Stadium.

Olympics system will be used for the championship; while the new International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) approved plastic balls will be during the competition in order to acquaint the players with the new balls.

Ezealah-Ogundare said the tournament would also be used as trials to select players for the forthcoming African Championship holding in Sudan while individuals’ performance would be considered in the final selection of the players.

Cool FM and Honeywell have expressed willingness to support the tournament that promises to be exciting.