Abuja – The Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) contingents will depart Nigeria on Feb. 1 for the 2016 Olympic qualifiers scheduled to take place in Morocco between Feb. 4 and Feb. 7.
Sunny Obot, the Secretary General of NTF told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, that the early departure would enable the athletes acclimatise before the beginning of the championship on Feb. 4.
He said that the federation had registered its athletes for the qualifiers and that weigh in for athletes of participating countries would begin in Morocco on Feb. 2.
Obot pointed out that plans were in top gear to ensure that the athletes’ travel documents were secured latest by Jan. 25.
“Only yesterday (Monday), the President of Morocco Taekwondo Federation sent our letter of introduction and approval to the Moroccan embassy here in Nigeria for our visas.
“We will put the athletes papers and passports together and submit them on Jan. 25 (Monday), and will be collected that same day of the next day, unfailingly.
“If I’m in Abuja on Wednesday, then, it means we will be at the embassy on Thursday; if not, we will be there (embassy) on Monday because they don’t work on Fridays,’’ Obot said.
He said that the team would depart for Morocco through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The NTF scribe noted that two male and two female athletes would represent the country in the different categories of the qualifiers.
“Three of the athletes have been training in Abuja; the fourth person Mohammed Jamilu, joined the camp yesterday.
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“He has been training in Kano and he might likely be the team’s captain to Morocco,’’ he said.
John Victor, Coach of the team said that the athletes improvement in the last few days were very encouraging.
The athletes are Jamilu Mohammed, Chinazom Nwosu, Edwin Samson and Uzoamaka Otuadimma.
“Chinazom Nwosu and Uzoamaka Otuadimma will be fighting in the female -57kg and female +67kg categories respectively, while Jamilu Mohammed and Edwin Samson will fight in the male -58kg and male -68kg categories respectively,’’ Victor said.
He added that Esther Uzoukwu, Fatima Ab