By Ikenna Okonkwo
The Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) has released its inaugural National Ranking for Nigeria taekwondo practitioners who compete in the Olympic event of Kyeorugi [fight], with many young talents who have never represented the country topping the various weight categories.
According to NTF Technical department; “the ranking is based on points attached to results gotten by athletes that compete in NTF sanctioned events, which have four different graded levels in the following level of importance – NTF-A, NTF-B, NTF-C and NTF-D.
“The A ranking is for the National Sports Festival and WT G-8 and above events; the B ranking is for NTF owned National events and WT G-2 to G-4 ranked events; the C ranking is for WT G-1 ranked events; the D ranking is for our affiliate events, institutional events, age grade events
In the male category, NTF Male Player of the Year, Sanusi AbdulMujeeb of Q-Madi topped the male -54kg fin weight category, while NTF Most Improved Player of the Year, Charles Okon of Kebbi State, topped the -58kg fly weight category.
A previously unknown young talent Ifeoluwa Ajayi of Q-Madi who won the 2017 Nigeria Open, topped the -63kg bantam weight category, while former National Youth champion, Mohammed Baffa of Kano state topped the -68kg feather weight category.
Another unknown but talented player, Rilwan Shittu of Niger state, topped the -74kg lightweight category while Nzelu Chukwudi of Oyo who won a Silver at the Nigeria Open topped the male -80kg category.
African Bronze Medalist and veteran athlete, Sunday Onofe of NSCDC, topped the -87kg middle weight category while Eko 2012 National Gold Medalist and Gold Medalist at the Nigeria Open, Sadiq Abdulrahman of Plateau, topped the +87kg heavyweight category.
In the female category, the National Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC showed their dominance in the sport by topping five of the available eight female weight categories – Current African Champion, 2017 Korea Open Gold Medalist and NTF female athlete of the year, Uzoamaka Otudinma in the +73kg heavyweight category; African Silver Medalist & 2017 Ghana Open Gold Medalist, Chinazum Nwosu, in the -53kg bantam weight category, Current Commonwealth Gold Medalist; Josephine Esuku, in the female fin weight category; National Light weight champion, Ndu Vivian in the -62kg category and Laady Louisa in the -49kg fly weight category.
Other top tanked female athletes were NTF Female Upcoming athlete of the year, Elizabeth Anyanacho of FCT in the female -67kg welter weight category; Nigeria Open Gold medalists, Asonye Amarachi of Abia state in the -57kg feather weight category and Naomi Adebanji of Oyo state in the -73kg Middle weight category.
The NTF Technical Director, three-time Olympian Chika Chukwumerije, talked about the importance of the ranking system.
“The purpose of the ranking is to detect in good time the best and most consistent competitors in all the weight categories; to detect early the upcoming talents that come up through the system; to inspire and encourage the taekwondo athletes and coaches who would desire to come up the ranking system; and to help the national technical team in their national selection and call up to national camp. The inaugural ranking already ticks all the purpose boxes and we are excited to see how it takes shape in the near future.”
The national ranking, which is an innovative and positive step for the federation, will be updated at least quarterly.
