By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja – The Nigeria Para-Taekwondo team on Wednesday left Lagos to participate in the second Africa Para-Taekwondo Open Championship in Kigali, Rwanda.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the championship is slated to hold from March 31 to April 2.
A statement issued by Taiwo Oriss, the Secretary-General, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) in Abuja, said the team was on its way to defend the title it won in 2016.
Oriss said the team won Gold and Bronze in the last championship in Egypt respectively.
According to him, Nigeria para-taekwondo team is presently at the fifth position in the female category while the male team is at the 11th position.
Oriss, however, said the federation hoped to improve on its previous achievements.
“Our participation at this Africa para-taekwondo event will further secure us automatic slot to Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“It is of note that teams that stand between first to 10 position in the World Taekwondo Federation ranking before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic will get automatic qualification to the Olympics,’’ he said.
Oriss said NTF contingent to the event was led by the federation’s President, a male athlete (Samson Ukpera) and a female athlete (Faith Obazuaye).
He expressed the hope that the team would do the country proud by securing Toyko 2020 Olympics participation slot for the federation