By; Ayo Ojedokun; Lagos.
After going through coaching certification and exposed to the changes made to the rules guiding taekwondo worldwide, triple Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije believes Nigeria taekwondo community must align with the changes in the sport.
Having obtained World Taekwondo Federation/ Pan American Taekwondo Union Coach Permit at the end of the two-day coaching certification g course, held at the West Gate hotel, Las Vegas, USA, Chukwumerije confirmed that several changes have been made to the rules of the game and it is important for coaches in the country to be acquainted with this development.
“I am grateful that I planned to be here a year ago. The new rules have really changed everything. The way a coach teaches his athlete must change if medals are to be won.
Nigeria taekwondo coaches will need to update their knowledge urgently if Tokyo 2020 is to be different. If an athlete that won the Rio 2016 fights that same way with these new rules, the athlete will most certainly lose to point deductions. Yes, the impact of these new rules and their application is that drastic.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games added: “Once I get back to Nigeria, I will certainly change the way I have been teaching my direct athletes, and perhaps will help organise a taekwondo education course. The more coaches that have this knowledge means more Nigeria taekwondo athletes can learn in enough time to make a difference at the 2019 All African Games and Tokyo 2020”, he stated.
