As the 2025 World Taekwondo Cadet Championship kicks off from May 10 to 14 in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria will be conspicuously absent from the global event, a development that has raised concerns among local stakeholders.
Thursdaline Peter, a prominent taekwondo stakeholder and Director at Body Dynamics, expressed her disappointment over Nigeria’s non-participation.
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In a chat with Sports247 from the United Arab Emirates, the venue of the World Championship, Thursdaline emphasized the need for deliberate grassroots development in the sport.
“There is no reason Nigeria should be missing championships like this, considering our population and the abundance of talent we have in sports”, she said.
Thursdaline spoke further “We need to start catching them young and giving them platforms to grow.”
In response to the ongoing challenges in talent identification and development, Thursdaline who is a director at ‘ Body Dynamics ‘ is spearheading the LFLP U17 Taekwondo Championship, a grassroots initiative designed to nurture young athletes and prepare them for international competition, including future African Junior Championships.
The LFLP U17 Championship features young taekwondo practitioners between the ages of 4 and 16 across all weight classes, particularly targeting Cadet and Junior categories.
According to Thursdaline, the initiative is focused on “bringing out the best” from Nigeria’s next generation of fighters.
Meanwhile, the upcoming LFLP U17 Taekwondo Championship is set to take place on June 14, 2025, at the LFLP Basketball Court, Victoria Island, Lagos. Registration is currently open and will close on May 16, 2025, with only registered participants eligible to compete.
Registration Categories are Peewee (4–6 years), Infant (7–11 years), Cadet (12–14 years) and Junior (15–17 years) (All male and female athletes across various weight classes)
Interested participants can register via the following link
The 2025 World Taekwondo Cadet Championship, holding at the prestigious Sheikh Zayed Sports City in Fujairah, gathers hundreds of young athletes from around the globe. Unfortunately, none will represent Nigeria this year.
