5th November, 2012
The inability of Nigerian taekwondoists to shine at the London 2012 Olympic Games has left a sour taste in the mouth, said the president of the Nigeria Taekwondo Referees Association, NTRA, Ferguson Oluigbo, while doing an appraisal of the sport in the outgoing year.
Oluigbo said that it is painful that Nigerian taekwondoists could not win a single medal in the taekwondo event in London despite the efforts of the National Sports Commission, NSC, and Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, NTF, to brighten their prospects for medals at the games.
In a bid to brighten the medal prospects of Nigerian taekwondoists at the event, NTF hired KunSi-Haweon, a top South Korean taekwondo coach to train the athletes ahead of the games.
In addition, the NSC also sent Nigeria’s representatives to the games, Chika Chukwumerije and Isa Mohammed to South Korea for intensive training ahead of the event.
While doing an appraisal of the outgoing year, Oliugbo said that the outgoing year could have been a memorable one if the taekwondoists had performed excellently in London.
“The outgoing year could have been wonderful for the federation if Nigerian taekwondoists had won one or two medals at the London Olympics. The fact that they could not win a single medal at the games is very painful to the federation and the entire country.
“What makes it so sad is that the Olympic Games holds once in four years and is the most important event in the world. And the fact that our taekwondoists did not do so well at the games indicate that the federation has much to do in the coming year,” said Oluigbo.
—BIMBO AJAYI