After keen contest at the just concluded 2nd edition of KCCN/FCT-UBEC elementary school Taekwondo Championship, Model Junior secondary school, Maitama emerged overall winner, after picking a total of five gold and three silver medals.
L.E.A Primary School, Wuse 5 Zone 1 finished second with five gold and two silver medals, while L.E.A Primary School, Wuse Zone 3 came third with three gold medals at the end of the competition which held inside Model Primary School, Maitama .
Talking about individual performance, Destiny Chukwukere of L.E.A Primary School, Wuse Zone 3 and Oluchi Madu of L.E.A Primary School, Wuse 5, Zone 1, were crowned champions in the male +45kg and female +45kg categories respectively.
The duo were unanimously adjudged the best athletes for their superlative feat in their respectively categories of the Korean martial art sport.
Chukwukere defeated Danjuma Ibrahim of Model Junior Secondary School, Maitama, 15-7 points to clinch the +45kg male event gold, while Madu was better than Patience Shekownya of L.E.A Primary School, Wuse Zone 3 to win female +45kg gold for second consecutive time.
Madu who spoke thereafter attributed her success to hard work and determination to succeed, saying her target is to represent Nigeria at the Olympic Games. “First, I give God all the glory for His mercy. Last year I won gold and I knew I have to work hard to maintain the position.
“My target is to represent Nigeria at the Olympic Games and determination to succeed is the secret behind my success here,” she said.
Addressing the athletes at the end of the event, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Nigeria (KCCN), Lee Jin Su, said the programme aimed at grooming future taekwondo champions for Nigeria is yielding dividends as more pupils are being introduce to the martial arts game.
“I am impressed that more Nigerians have taken to taekwondo and it show that KCCN programme with UBEC is recording successes.
He applauded UBEC for spreading taekwondo among Nigerian students and commended the local taekwondo instructors for making the time to impact skills and discipline in the students.
Coordinator of the programme and Chief Instructor of KCCN Abdulmalik Mohammed said the event was aimed at harnessing talents at the grassroots.
About 100 pupils from Model Junior Seconday School, Maitama; Model Primary School, Maitama; L.E.A Primary School Wuse Zone 3 and L.E.A Wuse V Zone 1 participated in the event.
Trophy and different category of prizes were given to winners.