Rivers State emerged as the leading team at the inaugural MOB National Taekwondo and Team Championship after finishing top of the medals table at the two-day competition in Lagos.
The championship, sponsored by Senate Leader of the National Assembly, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, brought together athletes from states, clubs and schools across Nigeria at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium.
Speaking at the conclusion of the event on Saturday, Bamidele announced that the championship would become an annual competition, with future editions rotating across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
“I am very elated to see youths competing in a very good atmosphere and I want to first confirm that this will not be a one-off event, rather, it will be annual,” Bamidele said.
“This competition will go round the geopolitical zones in the country, but the second edition will still be in Lagos. It will take place at Teslim Balogun Stadium.”
The Senate Leader, who previously served as Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, also announced additional financial rewards for athletes and officials who participated in the championship.
“I hereby double the prize money of all the athletes, while all the officials will get an additional special cash package for their efforts in helping to develop the game,” he said.
Bamidele also commended the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, led by Grand Master Tayo Popoola, for its efforts to develop the sport and pledged that the competition would continue to improve in subsequent editions.
Rivers topped the overall medals table with three gold medals and one silver. Lagos State finished second with two gold, three silver and one bronze, while N-Youth placed third with one gold and one silver.
In the junior male category, All Best Club claimed gold, with Lagos State taking silver and AIMAAN winning bronze. Ondo State secured gold in the junior female event, followed by N-Youth Club with silver and Lagos State with bronze.
Rivers also dominated the senior competitions, winning gold in both the senior mixed and senior female categories. Comprehensive Club took silver in the senior mixed event, while University of Lagos A secured bronze.
In the senior female category, University of Lagos won silver and Osun State claimed bronze.
Rivers completed their strong showing by winning the senior male gold medal, with Sky Star Club taking silver and Comprehensive Club finishing with bronze.
N-Youth Club won gold in the junior mixed category, while Lagos State and Ondo State secured silver and bronze respectively.
Popoola expressed satisfaction with the standard of the championship and said the federation remained committed to developing Nigerian athletes capable of competing successfully on the international stage.
“We feel like we need to start somewhere so we can compete with the rest of the world. For us in taekwondo, we are having sleepless nights in ensuring that we raise the game and make it a choice sport in Nigeria,” Popoola said.
The successful launch of the championship provides another platform for young Nigerian taekwondo athletes to gain competitive experience, while the planned annual format is expected to give the sport a more consistent domestic competition structure.
Leave a comment