Head of Referees at the Taekwondo event of the National Sports Festival, Thursdaline Peter, has declared that the future of Taekwondo in Nigeria is bright following a successful outing at the Gateway Games.
In an exclusive chat with Sports247, Thursdaline praised the standard of competition and the professionalism exhibited throughout the event.
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She emphasized that the matches were conducted in strict adherence to World Taekwondo rules, ensuring fairness and high-level performance.
“Taekwondo at the Festival was excellent and followed the rules set by World Taekwondo, the global organization for the sport. This made sure the matches were fair and professional,” she stated.
Highlighting the efforts of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Thursdaline revealed that a pre-competition coaching course was organized to better equip coaches with updated techniques and rules, significantly enhancing the quality of the competition.
“Before the competition began, a coaching course was held to train the coaches.
The course helped coaches learn new techniques and the latest rules from World Taekwondo. This improved the quality of coaching and made the event more competitive,” she added.
The CEO of Body Dynamics concluded by commending the Federation for its strategic focus on capacity building and global standards, which she said have elevated the sport’s profile in the country.
“By focusing on proper coaching and following international standards, the Taekwondo event became one of the best parts of the festival, showing the country’s dedication to growing the sport.
The Federation is progressing in the right direction,” Thursdaline affirmed.
Seventeen states won at least one medal in the Taekwondo event.
Delta State emerged as overall winners with 11 medals – 5 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze.
Oyo State followed closely with 3 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze medals, while Osun State finished third with 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Host state Ogun placed fourth, with Bayelsa securing fifth position.
The successful organization and competitiveness of the Taekwondo event at the Gateway Games has been widely regarded as a positive indicator for the sport’s development in Nigeria.
