NAN-S-6
Taekwondo
By Kemi Ajayi
Lagos, Nov. 21, 2016 (NAN) Ferguson Oluigbo, an international certified taekwondo referee has urged the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) to prepare its athletes adequately for the forthcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Oluigbo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the body should ensure that the athletes are made to participate in pre-Olympic games that would keep them in competitive form.
The referee said the federation needed to address the issues that made it impossible for Nigeria to qualify for the taekwondo event of the Rio Olympics.
He urged the federation to beam its searchlight in all parts of the country to identify and nurture promising talents at the grassroots.
Cue in audio (Oluigbo)
“Before Nigerians can talk of 2020, they should start preparation by participating in all other internationally recognised championships.
“So we should not wait until it’s a few months to Olympics before we start scrambling.
“We have an African championship coming up and we also have the All Africa Games coming up; all of them will come up before the Olympics in 2020.
“Consequently, they should begin to show signs that they are serious by hunting for talents nationwide not just looking at champions that are coming up, like Adamu Isah.
“So, you need to open your dragnet and hunt for talents in all areas of the country, and continue to encourage them to train, so that you have a large pool of talents to select the best from when the time comes.’’
Cue out audio (Oluigbo) (NAN)
KOA/ERO/YEE
Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Emmanuel Yashim
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