Nigerian Armed Forces Taekwondo athletes performed remarkably at the ongoing 2024 African Military Games, securing an impressive medal haul of 11—comprising 9 golds, 1 silver, and 1 bronze—during Friday’s events in Abuja.
The games, held at the Velodrome in Package A of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, witnessed Nigeria’s dominance in Taekwondo, with both individual and team performances.
Mohammed Yusuf led the Nigerian contingent to a strong start in the Men’s -54kg category.
His dominant performance against Amine Mohammed of Tunisia earned him a well-deserved gold medal, setting the tone for the day.
In the women’s events, Rejoice Bisallah claimed gold in the -46kg category due to a lack of competitors in her weight class.
Similarly, Chinenye Ibeh secured gold in the -49kg division, as no other athletes contested the category.
Glory Anam continued the gold rush in the Women’s -53kg category, where she delivered a striking and technically sound performance against Kenne Goudm of Cameroon.
However, it wasn’t all gold for Nigeria. In the Men’s -58kg division, Daniel Alexander fought valiantly but ultimately settled for a silver medal after being bested by Algeria’s Saidi Atui in a tightly contested match.
The Men’s -63kg category saw Alassa Aminu clinch a bronze medal, rounding out Nigeria’s successes in the sparring divisions for the day.
In addition to the sparring events, Nigerian athletes dominated the Poomsae (forms) competitions, showcasing their technical precision and mastery of Taekwondo’s traditional patterns.
Ditu Walton led the charge with a gold medal in the Male Individual Poomsae, while Chinenye Ibeh claimed another gold in the Female Individual Poomsae.
The duo then paired up in the Mixed Pair Poomsae event to secure another gold, further highlighting their synergy and skill.
The Male Team Poomsae event saw Ditu Walton join forces with Moses Komolafe and Afam Enumah to deliver a flawless, synchronized performance that earned them gold.
Similarly, the Female Team Poomsae trio of Enomfon James, Ikor James, and Nancy Ibeh displayed unmatched coordination to clinch yet another gold, completing Nigeria’s sweep of the Poomsae events.
The Technical Director of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, John Victor, commended the athletes for their outstanding performance and hinted at more potential victories as the Taekwondo events continued through Sunday.
“The Taekwondo event is still open until Sunday, and Nigeria can still increase its medal tally by winning more gold medals,” he told reporters.
Victor credited the athletes’ success to months of rigorous training, strong team spirit, and unwavering support from the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation.