NAN-S-2
Taekwondo
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, Feb. 10, 2017 (NAN) Azeezat Lawal, a gold medalist in Poomsae event at the 2016 Invitational Taekwondo Championships (ITC), has urged the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) to intensify efforts to secure athletes’ participation in international championships.
Lawal told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that regular participation in international championships would provide a platform for athletes to boost their points and rankings.
NAN reports that Poomsae is a style of taekwondo event that expresses direct mental and physical refinement and principle of offense and defense of taekwondo spirit and techniques.
Lawal said that such championships would help athletes to gain exposure required to sharpen their skills for improved performance in tournaments.
“The federation did well last year; the striking event was the ICT which was a pull of highly ranked athletes. I participated and won gold.
“I will really appreciate it if we can take part in international championships, especially the ones that are open such as the forthcoming one in Ghana.
“Participation and gathering of points is the brain behind ranking, and I am optimistic that those of us who made a mark at the ITC are aspiring higher,” she said.
The athlete, currently running a degree programme in Art Education in the University of Lagos, said that she was training hard to improve her record in major national and international championships.
Lawal, who also won gold in the 2016 Pan Africa Martial Art International, said that her vision was to excel in various qualifiers toward the 2020 Olympics.
“I have set a target of competing at the highest level – Olympic Games. My coach is sharing the same dream with me; we are working hard to succeed,” she added.
NAN reports that Lawal participated in the fight event at the 2014 IBILE Games organised by the Lagos State Sports Council.
She won a gold medal in the feather weight category. (NAN)
MIL/ENN/IGO
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Ijeoma Popoola)