Lagos State is set to host the maiden Nigeria Taekwondo Club/Team Championship from September 18 to 20 at the National Stadium, Surulere.
The championship is being organized by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, NTF, and marks the return of a major national taekwondo competition to Lagos after more than a decade.
Secretary of the Lagos State Taekwondo Association, LSTA, Bukola Benson-Onibudo, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday.
He said the championship would bring together teams representing states, clubs, universities and other institutions from across the country.
According to Benson-Onibudo, the competition is designed to promote teamwork, strategic excellence, sportsmanship and national unity while providing athletes with an opportunity to compete at the highest national level.
The championship will feature Team Kyorugi, which involves tag-match sparring, and Team Poomsae competitions across the senior and junior categories.
Benson-Onibudo described the event as a significant milestone for the development of taekwondo in Nigeria and said it would also provide a major boost to youth development and sports tourism in Lagos.
He said the championship aligns with the Lagos State Government’s vision of positioning the state as Nigeria’s foremost sports destination.
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The LSTA secretary said the event is expected to attract hundreds of athletes, coaches, officials, supporters and visitors from different parts of the country.
He noted that the expected influx of participants and visitors would generate economic activity for hotels, transport operators, restaurants and other businesses within the state.
Beyond competition, Benson-Onibudo said the championship would support athlete development, talent identification and healthy competition while strengthening national unity through sport.
He added that clubs, universities and other institutions would have an opportunity to showcase their taekwondo programmes and expose their athletes to a higher level of competition.
The competition is also expected to contribute to improvements in coaching and officiating standards by exposing officials and technical personnel to modern team-based competition formats.
Benson-Onibudo said more than N4 million would be available as total prize money for the championship, while medals and certificates would be presented to winning teams and coaches.
He also disclosed that special training gifts would be presented to the first 10 teams to complete their registration for the competition.
The secretary said the national participation expected at the championship would further strengthen Lagos’ position as a leading sports hub while creating opportunities for sports tourism and economic activity.
The LSTA and NTF have invited registered clubs, universities, institutions, state teams, athletes, coaches, officials, sponsors and sports enthusiasts to participate in the championship.
With teams expected from different parts of Nigeria, the three-day event is set to provide a major platform for taekwondo athletes to compete, develop their skills and contribute to the growth of the sport nationally.
NAN
