MOB National Taekwondo Championship Kicks Off In Lagos

The inaugural Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB) National Taekwondo Championship will take centre stage at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from today (Friday).

The two-day championship, organised by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), has attracted athletes from states across the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside competitors from clubs and para-military formations across the country.

The tournament is being sponsored by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Sports and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, and is expected to provide an important platform for identifying and developing new talents for future international competitions.

Bamidele said the championship would also help engage young people positively while giving emerging athletes an opportunity to develop their careers.

“We always look forward to having new talents emerge from all the sports. It is important to engage youths in positive areas for their respective talents and careers,” Bamidele said.

The NTF has also assured participants of a competition conducted with modern equipment that meets international standards.

NTF President Tayo Popoola said on Thursday that preparations for the championship had been completed, adding that the new equipment would provide additional motivation for athletes competing in the maiden edition.

“We are fully ready for the championship. The athletes have arrived and everything is in place for a successful competition,” Popoola said.

As part of preparations, the federation organised a training programme for officials on Wednesday to ensure that those handling the technical aspects of the championship are adequately prepared.

The competition is expected to provide intense action as athletes battle for honours and seek to catch the attention of national selectors ahead of future international assignments, including the African Games and Olympic Games.

The organisers are also expecting the championship to provide a strong platform for the continued growth of taekwondo in Nigeria, with the Indoor Sports Hall set to host two days of competition.