Sports
270 Athletes Ready for Action at 13th Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Cup in Abuja
Joel Ajayi
Over 270 taekwondo athletes from across Nigeria are gearing up to compete at the 13th edition of the Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Cup, slated for October 17th to 19th, 2025, at the Indoor Hall of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday, the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Mrs. Rita Mosindi, applauded the Korean Ambassador for his unwavering commitment and long-standing partnership with the Federation in advancing the sport in Nigeria.
“We are deeply grateful to the Korean Ambassador for his consistent support in ensuring that Taekwondo continues to grow in the country,” she said.
“Reaching the 13th edition of this championship is a clear reflection of the transparency, accountability, and dedication that have sustained it over the years.”
Mrs. Mosindi emphasized that the championship will not only feature top-level competition but will also serve as a ranking event for athletes across the country.
“I expect to see our athletes give their best and display exceptional skills to thrill our spectators. This tournament also offers them an opportunity to earn valuable ranking points,” she added.
She assured that all arrangements have been finalized to guarantee a smooth and successful outing.
“All hands are on deck. Everything is in place, and we are set for a hitch-free tournament,” she affirmed.
Highlighting the event’s developmental importance, the NTF scribe noted that several athletes who have represented Nigeria internationally were discovered through previous editions of the Korean Ambassador’s Cup.
“We’re optimistic that this year’s event will unearth new talents who will go on to represent Nigeria at the Islamic Games and the African Youth Games in Angola,” she noted.
The Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Cup remains one of the Federation’s flagship annual events and serves as the final major tournament for the NTF in 2025. Nevertheless, other competitions such as the Governor of Niger State Cup and the Women’s Championship in Benin City are still on the Federation’s calendar.
The closing ceremony, billed for Sunday, October 19th, will feature the Korean Ambassador and other dignitaries, who will join in presenting medals and celebrating the achievements of participating athletes.
Mrs. Mosindi expressed confidence that the 13th edition will conclude on a high note, highlighting excellence, sportsmanship, and the enduring friendship between Nigeria and Korea through Taekwondo.
Sports
Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney
Joel Ajayi
The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.
Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.
In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.
The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.
In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.
At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.
According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.
He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.
“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.
Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.
He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.
The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.
He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.
“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.
Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.
The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.
According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.
The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.
It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.
The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.
He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.
“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.
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