Taekwondo Grandmaster, Ferguson Oluigbo, says the maiden National Team Championship will help bridge the development gap between Nigerian athletes and their foreign counterparts.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, Oluigbo said the championship would expose athletes and coaches to the intricacies of team competition.
The championship is scheduled to hold from Sept. 17 to Sept. 19, at the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.
The championship will feature Poomsae and Kyorugi events for senior and junior male and female athletes, providing a new team competition format for practitioners in Nigeria.
Oluigbo said introducing the team championship would help athletes and coaches understand the format better and improve their international competitiveness.
He further noted that the competition would introduce team championships to athletes, coaches, officials, stakeholders, administrators, states and the country at large.
“This maiden edition will be used to introduce team championships to athletes, coaches, officials, stakeholders, administrators, states and the general public,” Oluigbo said.
According to him, the championship will also showcase another aspect of Taekwondo development to sponsors and grassroots practitioners, while encouraging greater interest in the sport.
The grandmaster said participants would be ranked according to their performances, giving outstanding athletes opportunities to be considered for future international assignments and exposure.
He said the championship would also bring athletes, coaches and referees up to date with the latest developments in international team competitions.
“This will be a great opportunity for athletes, coaches and referees to be brought abreast of the latest news of this type of championship,” he said.
Oluigbo said the exposure would also position Nigerian practitioners and officials for improved performances and greater opportunities on the international stage.
He described the championship as an opportunity to showcase the fast tempo, speed and excitement associated with team Taekwondo to the Nigerian public.
According to him, the competition will give participants a valuable learning experience while demonstrating Nigeria’s readiness to compete internationally in the team format.
“This maiden edition is to tell both our practitioners and sponsors that we are good to go internationally and ready,” he said.
Oluigbo urged stakeholders, professionals, sponsors, and members of the public to support the championship and ensure the maiden edition is a success.
The competition is expected to feature senior and junior male and female athletes in Poomsae and Kyorugi team events.
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