Rivers State Wins First National Taekwondo Championship

Rivers State came out on top at the first MOB National Taekwondo and Team Championship. Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, announced that this competition will happen every year.

Bamidele, who sponsored the event, made the announcement at the end of the two-day championship at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos on Saturday. Athletes from various states, clubs, and schools competed for medals.

“I am very happy to see youths competing in a great atmosphere. I want to confirm that this will not be a one-off event. It will be annual,” Bamidele said.

“This competition will move around the geopolitical zones in Nigeria, but the second edition will still be in Lagos. It will take place at Teslim Balogun Stadium,” he added.

The former Lagos Commissioner for Youth and Sports also surprised everyone with a reward for all participants.

“I will double the prize money for all the athletes. All officials will also get a special cash package for their hard work in developing the game.

“Let me also commend the Taekwondo Federation led by Grand Master Tayo Popoola. We must keep this event going, and it has to improve every year,” Bamidele stated.

Rivers topped the medals table with three gold and one silver. Lagos State followed with two gold, three silver, and one bronze. N-Youth finished third with one gold and one silver.

In the junior male competition, All Best Club won gold. Lagos State took silver, and AIMAAN claimed bronze. In the junior female category, Ondo State won gold, while N-Youth Club and Lagos State followed.

Rivers State also won gold in the senior mixed competition, with Comprehensive Club taking silver and University of Lagos A winning bronze. N-Youth Club got gold in the junior mixed category, while Lagos State and Ondo State took silver and bronze.

Rivers won gold in the senior female category. University of Lagos took silver, and Osun State claimed bronze. In the senior male category, Rivers won gold, Sky Star Club got silver, and Comprehensive Club took bronze.

NTF President Tayo Popoola expressed satisfaction with the championship's standard.

“We feel like we need to start somewhere to compete with the rest of the world. For us in taekwondo, we are working hard to raise the standard and make it a popular sport in Nigeria,” Popoola said.