By Kuti Dare

Nigeria Judo Federation has concluded plans to organise closed trials ahead of the 2019 All Africa Games in the Morocco. The National trials will hold from 7 to 9 June, 2019 at the indoor hall of Teslim Balogun sports complex in Lagos.

According to the technical director of the Nigeria Judo Federation, Ewa Ekuta said the first to six positions at the 2018 National Sports Festival in their respective weight were invited.

Ekuta revealed that the trials shall be a round robin system adding that the judoka with the highest number of wins is automatically declared winner.

The former African champion said, “The trial is to enable the federation select the national champions that will represent Nigeria in the forthcoming All Africa Games in Morocco. The team selected will also serve as a standing team to any international event.

“The competition shall be the round robin system; no matter how much points a judoka have, it shall not supersede the number of wins in a particular category”.

Ekuta said the trials will be conducted under the rules and regulation of the International Judo Federation.

He revealed that the national ranking list will not accommodate any judoka to cross carpet from one weight to another.

He said, “Moving from a weight category to another exposes you to the loose of points in the NRL. Your points are measured according to your weight class and position obtained in any championship approved by the NJF”.