Nigeria delivered an impressive performance at the African Taekwondo Championships in Bamako, Mali, returning home with a total of seven medals after four days of intense competition against some of the continent’s best athletes.
The Nigerian contingent, comprising 11 athletes and two coaches, secured three gold medals, one silver and three bronze medals to underline the country’s growing influence in African taekwondo.
Leading the medal haul were Ability Mathew Udom in the Para Taekwondo category, Haruna Usman in Poomsae and Aderibigbe Faridah in Kyorugi (sparring), all of whom captured gold medals for Nigeria.
The bronze medals were won by Joel Jordan, Chidinma Okoko and Salaudeen Abdulazeez, while the country’s lone silver medal came through the combined efforts of Abdulafeez and Faridah in the Poomsae event.
Reacting to the team’s achievement, President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Temitayo Kuburat Popoola, praised the athletes, coaches and support staff for their commitment and determination throughout the championship.
She said the medal-winning performance was a reflection of the hard work, discipline and resilience demonstrated by the Nigerian team in representing the nation on the continental stage.
“The remarkable performance of our athletes reflects their dedication, hard work and resilience, as well as the commitment of the coaches and support personnel who represented Nigeria with distinction,” Popoola said.
In a statement issued after the competition, the President, board members and management of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation congratulated the medal winners and the technical crew for what they described as an outstanding outing.
The federation noted that the results further highlighted Nigeria’s growing strength in African taekwondo and reinforced the country’s status as a rising force in the sport.
It also expressed appreciation to the leadership of the National Sports Commission, stakeholders and supporters whose contributions helped make the successful campaign possible.
According to the federation, the achievements recorded in Bamako will serve as added motivation to continue investing in athlete development and preparations for future international competitions.
The Nigerian team is expected to arrive back in the country on Wednesday evening aboard an ASKY Airlines flight, bringing to a close a memorable campaign that yielded seven medals and further boosted the nation’s profile in continental taekwondo.
