Morocco reaffirmed their standing as Africa’s taekwondo powerhouse by successful the African Taekwondo Championship for the third time in a row, whereas Nigeria recorded their best-ever efficiency on the continental competition with a historic seven medals in Bamako, Mali.
The championship, which ran from Could 29 to Could 31, noticed greater than 300 athletes from 32 international locations compete for continental honors in numerous classes.
Morocco as soon as once more dominated the competitors, coming first in each the boys’s and girls’s divisions and efficiently defending the title they’ve held since 2022.
North Africans gained six gold medals by means of Sufian El Asbi within the males’s 87kg class, Haitham Zaguti within the males’s 80kg class, Mohamed Amin Dhaheri within the males’s 68kg class, Amina Dehaoui within the ladies’s 57kg class, Farah Touzani within the ladies’s 46kg class and Umaima El Buhti within the ladies’s 53kg class. occasion.
Morocco’s spectacular marketing campaign was additional strengthened by three silver medals gained by Neja El Assal, Hajiba Harakat and Nada Larage, whereas Fatima Zahra Nems, Khadijah Ramdalar, Lamia El Bekour, Mariam Eniya, Abdelhamid Abdouni and Zakaria Lakhouil contributed to 6 bronze medals.
The nation’s superiority can be mirrored within the particular person awards, with Moroccan official Naima Belah being chosen as the very best referee.
Morocco’s Badr Somaili gained the award for finest males’s coach, whereas Hakima El Mesrahi gained the award for finest ladies’s coach for main the ladies’s crew to the continental title.
Regardless of Morocco’s overwhelming success, Nigeria emerged as one of many standout performers of the championship, returning dwelling with seven medals from a crew of 11 gamers and two coaches.
Nigeria gained three gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals, underscoring the nation’s rising affect in African taekwondo.
Gold medals had been gained by Capacity Mathew Udom within the Para Taekwondo class, Haruna Usman within the Poomsae class, and Adelibigbe Farida within the Gyorgi Sparring class.
On the Pumsay Video games, Abdulrafeez and Farida mixed to win the nation’s solely silver medal, whereas Joel Jordan, Chidinma Okoko and Salahuddin Abdulaziz gained bronze medals, setting a document for Nigeria.
The achievement is especially vital given Nigeria’s modest document on the African Championships for the reason that event was first held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1996.
Previous to the Bamako 2026 Video games, Nigeria had gained solely two gold medals, 9 silver medals and 19 bronze medals within the historical past of the Video games.
Reacting to the crew’s efficiency, the President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Mr Temitayo Kubrat Popoola, praised the willpower and dedication of the gamers, coaches and assist workers.
“The crew’s excellent efficiency displays the dedication, laborious work and resilience of our gamers, coaches and assist workers who’ve excelled in representing Nigeria on the continental stage,” Popola stated.
In an announcement, the federation counseled the medal winners and technical workers for his or her distinctive efficiency, saying the outcomes had been additional proof that Nigeria is rising stronger within the sport.
He additionally acknowledged that the assist of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee, officers and supporters performed an necessary position within the crew’s success.
The federation stated this achievement motivates it to proceed investing in participant growth and strengthen Nigeria’s place amongst Africa’s main taekwondo nations.
Nigeria’s nationwide crew will return dwelling on an Asky Airways flight this night (Wednesday) with renewed confidence after a championship that produced a few of the nation’s finest performances on the continental stage.
