Tokyo 2020: NTF President Thanks Minister As Team Nigeria Departs Aboard Air Maroc

Tokyo 2020: NTF President Thanks Minister As Team Nigeria Departs Aboard Air Maroc

By Niyi Busari

The National Taekwondo team has been cleared to depart tomorrow morning for Rabat, Morocco for the African Qualification Tournament for Tokyo 2020, taking place 22 – 24 February 2020 at the Complexe sportif Moulay Abdellah (Palais des sports).

The Ministry of Youths and Sports concluded all logistical arrangements last night as the quartet of Chinazum Nwosu, Ifeoluwa Ajayi, Elizabeth Anyanacho and Benjamin Okuomose held their last training session in Abuja.

National Coach, John Victor, already departed yesterday for Rabat aboard Air Maroc, in order to participate in the World Taekwondo Coach Certification Level 2 Course, which was a new certification required for all coaches at all World Taekwondo events with G-4 and above ranking status.

President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Mrs Margaret Binga, who will lead the team to Morocco thanked the Honourable Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, for the conclusion of the logistical arrangements.

“I want to thank the Honourable Minister for supporting the Olympic teams in their quest to qualify for Tokyo 2020. The flight tickets have been secured and other resources needed in Morocco will be deployed before the team departs, so we are thankful that the team can now go and fight for those Olympic tickets in Morocco.”

Binga, who is a two-time African Champion and participated at the Athens 2004 Olympic qualification tournament backed the team to perform well at the critical qualification tournament.

“We have a young and passionate team, led by a highly experienced technical team. Our athletes have been very brave and hardworking in training. Certainly, all they need to do is replicate the form shown in training and in competitions of late, and we will be in Tokyo. We will support them fully in order to achieve this objective.”

Team Nigeria have been in camping for the past seven weeks, and will be eager to arrive in Morocco, where hostilities will take place on 22nd and 23rd February after the drawing of lots ends on 21st February 2020.

105 athletes, including 63 males and 42 females, from 36 countries are registered to participate in eight Olympic weight categories, in what is the only qualification tournament for the African continent.