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By Our Correspondent

The Technical Director, Taekwondo Federation of Nigeria, TFN, Chika Chukwumerije has thanked the Honourable Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, for his timely intervention that led to the participation of the national team at the just concluded Fujairah Open, in preparation for the Olympic qualification tournament to hold in a fortnight in Rabat, Morocco, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

The team won two bronze medals which, combined with Kenya’s one silver medal, put Africa on the map in the tournament that was attended by 43 countries including 10 African nations.
“On behalf of the athletes and the national technical crew, I want to express my gratitude to the Honourable Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, for his responsiveness to our SOS. It is a big deal to prepare for the Olympics and his response showed that he takes the qualification of our various teams seriously.”

The Olympian also commended the Sports Minister for engaging capable hands to support his office.

“It is so nice to see how responsive the Honourable Minister’s special assistants, five-time Olympian Chief Mrs Mary Onyali and Tunde Akpeji, were to a matter critical to the Honourable Minister’s plans for Team Nigeria going to Tokyo 2020. They recognized the importance of the occasion and quickly advised on the way forward. This is what happens when good leadership places the right kind of advisers around them.”
Chukwumerije assured that the team will keep working hard and will deliver the Olympic tickets with good support.

“The team is back and were given two days rest before their training continues. They are focused and learnt a lot from the trip in addition to earning some Olympic ranking points. God willing, we will guide the team to clinch the Olympic tickets.”

Nigeria has entered its maximum of four athletes for the African Qualification tournament, to hold in Rabat Morocco, between 21 and 24 February 2020.