By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos
Nigeria Shotokan Karate Federation added to the current success of team Nigeria at the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, as Ujunwa Nwankwo won gold in the open women category and bronze in 68kg category at the world championships in Tokyo Japan.
Also, she retained the title she won in 2019 at the same games, after defeating Celly Amaris from Panama.
Enroute the final, Ujuwa dismissed Yamazaki Masami from Japan in her first fight of the tournament and triumphed over Natalia Sofia from Mexico in the second fight.
The Nigerian representatives won four medals in the ladies Kumite, 1 gold and a bronze and in the Veterans Kumite and in Kata, silver and bronze.
The other team members include, Robert Iyioukwe Ogah who missed out of the podium in the mixed team Kata and Bob Bamboye the chief instructor, who as well, competed in the veteran’s category, winning a silver medal in the fight and bronze in Kata.
Karate Chief Instructor, Bob Bamboye commended the team for a job well done and called for more support from the government and corporate bodies to assist the federation in their quest to take karate to a better pedestal.
“The federation is proud of Ujuwa Nwankwo’s feat in Japan, all she needs is more encouragement to continue to fly the country’s flag higher in the world”
Bamboye said.
Prior to the championship, there was a 4-day seminar and grading, where the chief instructor of Nigeria, Bob Bamboye was among two other chief instructors from other countries, who lectured at the international seminar, which was attended by over 30 countries.
The World Shotokan Karate-do Federation (WSKF ) championships in Tokyo, Japan, took place on Saturday August 6, 2022.
