Team Nigeria will officially begin its medal quest at the 2025 World Sambo Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Friday as three Nigerian athletes take center stage in the global martial arts competition.
Representing Nigeria are Fatai Balogun, Samuel Kekere, and Sodiq Ajibade, all set to compete across the Combat Sambo and Blind Sambo categories.
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Balogun will contest in the men’s 88kg Combat Sambo, while Kekere returns to the men’s 64kg Blind Sambo, looking to improve on his historic outing in 2024, when he became the first African athlete to compete in Blind Sambo at the World Championships.
Ajibade, making his international debut, will feature in the men’s 98kg Blind Sambo, determined to deliver a strong performance and possibly secure a podium finish for Nigeria.
Speaking ahead of the competition, Kekere expressed gratitude to the Fédération Internationale de Sambo (FIAS) for its continuous support and hailed Sheriff Hammed, Vice President and General Secretary of the Sambo Association of Nigeria (SAN), for his instrumental role in ensuring the team’s participation.
“I am grateful to FIAS for their unwavering support and to Sheriff Hammed for his tireless efforts in getting us here. This is about showing the world that Africans with disabilities can compete and excel globally,” Kekere said.
The World Sambo Championships 2025 — organized by FIAS — is the biggest global Sambo event, featuring competitions in Sport Sambo, Combat Sambo, and Blind Sambo (SVI1 category).
The tournament runs over three days, with participants from more than 50 countries.
This year’s event offers a total prize pool of $341,000, with equal prize money across all categories — $4,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver, and $2,000 for bronze medalists.
Sambo, an internationally recognized martial art blending elements of judo, jujutsu, boxing, and folk wrestling, is acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee and continues to grow across Africa, with Nigeria playing a key role in promoting the sport.
