Nigeria’s queen of the mats, Elizabeth Anyanacho, is set to embark on her quest for glory this Sunday afternoon at the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games, where fierce contests are expected in the taekwondo event.
The bronze medalist from the 2025 World Taekwondo Championships will kick off her campaign in the quarter-finals, facing the winner of the match between Mauritania and Mozambique at the Martial Arts Hall within Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City.
Anyanacho, currently ranked as Africa’s number one, shattered a 20-year record in the -67kg category by securing bronze at the World Championship in China last month. She is now aiming to complete the year with a gold medal in Riyadh.
Should she advance past her African opponent, Anyanacho will encounter formidable challenges from Iranian and Turkish athletes in the later rounds, who are known for their prowess in the sport.
A total of 200 athletes from 38 countries will compete in taekwondo during the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh 2025.
With both men’s and women’s kyorugi contested across 12 weight categories, all eyes are once again on the long-standing rivalry between Iran and Türkiye, the sport’s dominant forces throughout the Games’ history.
These athletes, carrying reputations built on the grand stages of the Olympics, Asian Championships, and European circuits, are set to create an electrifying atmosphere over the next three days.
