NAN-S-8
Awareness
By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
Lagos, April 10, 2017 (NAN) The quest to improve the country’s medal hauls in taekwondo at international Games has prompted the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) to seek the promotion of Para-taekwondo across the nation.
A member of NTF board, Saidu Abdullahi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that promoting the sport would enable Para-taekwondoists to contribute their quota to the nation’s sports sector.
Abdullahi urged state associations and clubs affiliated to the NTF to wake up to the responsibility of increasing awareness about the sport in their districts.
“We have talents in the para-arm of taekwondo that have not been enjoying equal attention as the able-bodied, so we deemed it necessary to give them attention.
“Two of our para-athletes that participated in the African Para-Taekwondo Championships in 2016 in Cairo won one gold and a silver medal.
“Also in Kigali, Rwanda this year, they also won two gold medals which was encouraging.
“So, we want to take advantage of the achievements to pull potential para-taekwondoists from their hiding through state associations and clubs that have them in their jurisdiction,’’ he said.
Abdullahi said the national body would offer necessary assistance to affiliates to help them to achieve their vision to identify talents that could be groomed ahead of future championships.
The NTF board member, who is also a practitioner, called on the physically challenged that have interest in building their career in taekwondo to grab such opportunities.
NAN reports that Para-taekwondo is a sport style in taekwondo with competition rules, established to accommodate fair competition among athletes with physical disabilities. (NAN)
MIL/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)