Sports

Africa Taekwondo G-4 Championship Nigeria Finished 8th on Medal table

Published

4 years ago

July 21, 2022

Nigerian Taekwondo athletes to the just concluded Africa Taekwondo G-4 championship in Kigali, Rwanda, finished 8th on the log of the medal table.

The team went home with 1 Silver and 2 bronze medals.

Benjamin Okuomose of the +87Kg got Nigeria a silver medal losing out in the final to Morocco Ayoub Bassei, while Shola Olowookere lost out in the semi-finals to Tunisia’s Firas Katousi to win a bronze medal.

In the Women`s category, Nigeria Olympian Elizabeth Anayacho lost out of Egyptian Aya Shehata in the semi-finals to claim a bronze medal.

Reacting to the team’s performance, Mr Egwin Osita who is the technical director of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation admitted this was one the best performances at the championship.

“We faced a lot of issues due to the weather which affected not only our athletes but everyone that participated, for us we arrived just a day to the championship so we couldn`t acclimatized well but I am proud of the standard that we gave because it could be compared to world standard”.

He maintained that a lot of things needed to be put in place for Nigeria to be able to clinch a world title in any major championship. “Look at for example, Benjamin Okumose in the +87Kg category defeated Olympics Silver medalist in Rio, and top athlete Seydou Gbane of Ivory Coast.

Egwin Osita called on well-meaning Nigerians, Private Sponsors to look into the Sports to help the athletes win more medals for the country.

“Our major setback what that we didn`t get enough preparation before the championship looking at the fact that while we were in camp Egypt, Niger Republic and Morocco attended two Grand Prix events and if not for our federation President Abdullahi Saidu Baba who ensured we got things to help us go through and his board members.

Morocco finished overall top with 15 medals: 8 gold, 3 sliver and 4 bronze. Egypt finished 2nd with total of 13 medals: 3 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze. Ivory Coast finished third 3rd with 7 medals: 2 gold 3 silver and 2 bronze. A total of 39 countries participated in the Africa Taekwondo G-4 Championship.

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Sports

Nigerian Goalkeeper James Honoured with Spot in Finland’s Team of the Season

Published

18 hours ago

October 27, 2026

The Gleamer

Ibrahim Lawal

Nigeria’s Super Eagles goalkeeper Samuel Friday James has earned recognition among the best-performing players in Finland following his impressive displays for SJK Akatemia in the 2026 season.

The 20-year-old shot-stopper ranks second among the league’s selected best-performing XI, with an average rating of 7.61, according to statistics published by Totori News.

James’ performances have stood out despite the challenging campaign faced by his club, with his consistency between the posts making him one of the bright spots in the team.

The former Mavlon FC goalkeeper has recorded four clean sheets in Finland’s Ykkösliiga this season, while his shot-stopping ability has further underlined his growing reputation in European football.

According to available season statistics from FootyStats, James has made 20 league appearances, playing 1,800 minutes. He has conceded 32 goals and made 75 saves from 109 shots faced, giving him a save percentage of approximately 68.8 per cent.

His four clean sheets account for 20 per cent of his league appearances, demonstrating his ability to keep opponents at bay despite the defensive challenges confronting his team.

James has also shown composure and resilience in difficult matches, including his recent international outing for Nigeria against Russia, where he made his senior Super Eagles appearance in the 3-3 friendly draw on October 6.

Standing at 1.95 metres, the young goalkeeper possesses the physical attributes required for the modern game, combining his reach with quick reactions and an increasingly valuable experience of European football.

His rise has been particularly encouraging following his move from Lagos-based Mavlon FC to Finland in 2025. Since then, he has continued to develop through regular competitive football and has attracted attention for his performances.

James’ latest statistical recognition of 7.55 rating in the team of the season adds to his growing profile as Nigeria continues to assess goalkeeping options for the future.

At 20, the goalkeeper will be hoping to build on his progress in Finland and establish himself as a regular contender for the Super Eagles, while continuing to improve his performances at club level.

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