Sports

Karate Federation Rolls Out 26 Events For 2020

Published

6 years ago

February 13, 2020

No fewer than 26 programmes have been rolled out by the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) to be carried out in 2020.
The events calendar signed by the Secretary General of the federation, Libata Abdullahi, was made available to newsmen in Lagos, yesterday.
According to the calendar, the Federation will have about 16 events under national programmes which include National Open Technical/Officiating Course for Coaches/Referees at the National Sports Festival in Edo from February 19 to February 21.
Other events are the National Sports Festival in Edo between March 20 and April 3; and KFN National School Junior Karate Championship (Cadet, Junior and U-21 Categories taking place in Lagos on July 7).
Tidesports source reports that, in August, the Federation plans to have Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) Karate Championship at yet to be mentioned venue, while having the Armed Forces/Paramilitary Inter-Service Karate Championship in Kaduna on October 1 to October 3.
It plans to have the 24th Nigerian Karate Association (NKA) National Black Belt College Workshop/Championship in Asaba, Delta and 7th Hajia Zainab Saleh International Female Championship in November in Lagos.
Menawhile, the 3rd Rivers National Open Karate Championship in Port Harcourt comes up 2 to 5 December, while its last National event would be KFN full Council Meeting (General Congress) in Abuja on December 12.
The calendar also revealed the regional African programmes, which include 1st and 2nd UFAK West African Zonal Karate Championship in Bamako, Mali from January. 7 to January 12, and Lagos May 12 to May 19, respectively.
On the continental programmes, UFAK African Junior/Senior Karate Championships held in Morocco from February 4 to February 10 while Commonwealth Karate Championship in Birmingham UK holds from September 1 to September 7.
According to the calendar, World programme include, Premier League at Rabat, Morocco, March 13 to March 15; Tokyo 2020 Qualification Tournament in Paris May 6 to May 11; and Karate 1, Series A at Istanbul Turkey June 8 to June 21.
It said the World Karate Federation (WKF) would have its Youth Camp/League in Croatia from June 28 to July 5; and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games (Karate Championship) from August 6 to August11.
The Federation added that WKF Senior World Championship will hold in Dubai from November 17 to November 22.
A Board Member of the KFN, Zainab Saleh, said in Lagos that the Federation needed the assistance of individuals and organisations to be able to carry out the events planned for the year.
“We will continue to call on well-meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to support the Karate Federation of Nigeria.
“The lack of funding to execute our national programmes, to attend continental and world championships is a huge hindrance to our development in karate,” she said.

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

7 hours ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

9 hours ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

9 hours ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.