Nigeria’s Bashir bags gold medal at International Taekwondo Tourney in Columbia

Few days after Uche Perez Chukwumerije claimed gold at the 2014 Belgian Open, another Nigerian, United States-based Saturday Bashir clinched gold medal in the welterweight division at the 2nd Columbia International Taekwondo Championships, held in Cali, Columbia.

The seven-day tournament, which ends on Wednesday April 9, had athletes from Switzerland, Philippines, Nigeria, Canada, Ghana, Benin, Chile, U.S, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, and host – Columbia.

Bashir, a 2013 Korean Opens gold medalist, defeated his opponent from Columbia 12 – 7 in the first fight, Chile 8 – 0 in the second fight, before going to stamp his supremacy over Ghana 10 – 8 in the final to win gold medal.

His opponent in the final Ghana’s Anthony Adjetey is ranked 14th in the world and with this result, this gives a clear indication of how
Team Nigeria might fare over their African counterparts in next year’s All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.

Bashir represented Nigeria at the 2013 World Team Cup, and it was his performance at the 2014 US Opens, that made him to be among the few selected athletes fully sponsored to the championships in Columbia.

The sponsorship includes full return airfare, feeding, registration fees, medical costs and provision of hydration supplements.

This performance excited the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) that its elite athletes are showing top form, as the Rio 2016 Olympics is barely 28 months away. NTF athletes’ representative, Chika Chukwumerije, hailed the wonderful week in which personal sacrifice, determination and hard work of Nigeria taekwondo’s elite athletes brought collective glory to Nigeria.

“Saturday Bashir was my teammate to the 2007 All Africa Games. Back then; he was technically sound, physically fit and very hardworking. He is an athlete whose profile inspires our young athletes, and once again, he represented Nigeria well”,” the Beijing Olympics medalist said.

He added that the success stories of Uche and Saturday would “go a long way in motivating the young upcoming athletes, and has set a winning example that can be followed.”

NTF President, George Ashiru, on behalf of the board and Nigeria taekwondo community, has sent his congratulations to Saturday in Columbia, and urged all elite athletes to continue to grab international exposure and ranking points wherever they can.

However, one of the organizers Columbia championships, Edwin Montoya, who is also the Director of the Specialized Centre Taekwondo in Columbia, noted “he was very pleased with the diversity of countries, and especially with the presence of athletes from Africa, which is not very common, thus allowing better understanding and exchange among all cultures.”

Nigeria’s Bashir (in blue) at the 2013 World Team Cup

U.S, England, Ghana, others listed for Lagos International Scrabble Classics

U.S, England, Ghana, others listed for Lagos International Scrabble Classics

United States, England, Ghana, Scotland and Kenya have been listed for the Lagos International Scrabble Classics holding this month at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The tournament is part of the Lagos Sports Classics and is expected to attract top players from across the globe.
According to the Chairman, Lagos State Scrabble Association, Dayo Alao, the tournament would also have a special invitational category for captains of industry who are expected to pay participation fee of N50, 000 with the proceeds going into a developmental programme.

“We are not only looking at the tournament alone, but to look at how we can develop the sport at grassroots level and that is why we will be having the special category for captains of industry with the proceeds from the participation fee going into a developmental programme in schools.

The winner of this division will decide the school that will benefit from the initiative. For us, we are trying to encourage support from this professionals,” Alao said.

The World English Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) lists the tournament, and the Nigeria Scrabble Federation supports it.

The tournament will kick off on January 23rd to 26th with players competing in three events – masters/international, intermediate and opens.

28 games will be played across the three categories as all foreign internationals (and Nigeria-based Masters players) will play in the Masters category while the two other categories will be for non-masters local players. The dictionary for the championship will be Collins CSW12 only.