Organisers of the just concluded one day  ‘Karate For All Ages’ Championship said that the tournament enabled karatekers to horn their skills, improve their competition level as well as help coaches and instructors to access what they’ve taught their fighters.

The karate for all ages saw athletes in different age categories compete for honours in Kata and kumite, displaying exceptional skills 

Kata and kumite are two fundamental components of karate training that are interrelated and support each other

The annual championship is for both male and female athletes 

Organiser of the championship  Ibrahim Muse while  highlighting  the importance of the championship said that  it has helped in further development of the game noting that the large turnout of athletes, coaches and instructors is an evidence of it’s popularity and acceptability by all karate stakeholders in the country.

” We the organisers are happy that the number of participants keep on increasing every year and what the athletes learn at  the end of every championship  cannot be quantified because it enables them to compete in a friendly environment, watch the skills of others and note their areas of weakness  and how to  improve on their skills”, he stated.

The championship which is in its 7th edition, came to a successful end on Saturday, December14, 2024 at the Gymnasium Hall of the National Institute For Sports, Lagos and attracted  more than 400 karatekers from various clubs.

Chief Instructor and member of Nigerian Association of Shotokan Karate, Sensei Alfred Ohimain said 

the huge turn out of  athletes is an indication that the championship is a household name in the country and they’ll continue to improve on the successes recorded over the years.

” Basically,  the major reason why we organise this championship every year is to develop karatekas, give them enough opportunity to exhibit their skills and also give coaches and instructors enough opportunity to access what they’ve taught their athletes and I can tell you that we’re getting it right with the championship.

“As you can see, we have a very large turnout of athletes who are about 450 which is the biggest anywhere in the country. All the athletes who are of all ages,  had the opportunity to participate in both Kate and kumitae and I can tell you that with this championship, we’ve succeeded in moving the sports forward in the country 

Ohimain, a 7th Dan who also doubles as a board member of Karate Federation of Nigeria expressed appreciation to their sponsors for identifying with them even as he appealed for more sponsorship of Karate competitions to enable Nigerian athletes up their game and  be at par with their counterparts from other parts of the world.

Meanwhile some of the athletes who participated in this year’s championship have commended the organisers for putting up a seamless competition.

A gold medalist, Azeez Abdulahi, who said this year is his second time of participating in the championship noted that the experience he garnered in last year’s edition propelled him to go for the gold medal.

” I was here last year but couldn’t make a podium finish but the good thing was that I learnt a lot and when I went back home, I improved on my skills which gave  me gold this year. So, I must give kudos to the organisers for the exposure and opportunity to improve on our form which the competition has afforded us and I urge them to keep the flag flying as the championship has really changed the face of karate in the country.

In her own remarks, Miriam Tijani said that although she was not fortunate to win a medal but she commend the organisers for the amazing championship which she said afforded her the opportunity to learn new things about the techniques of the  sports.

At the end of the championship, medals and certificates were awarded to participants in the various weight categories.

Renowned sports enthusiast,  Varnavas Varnava, has urged the Nigerian Government to prioritize investments in athletes and sports development. 

This call to action comes on the heels of the recent Olympic Games, where Nigerian athletes faced scrutiny for their shody performance and failure to win a single medal at the games 

Varnava emphasized that Nigeria has a long way to go to qualify a d win laurels at  the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 

“Nigeria has to be represented correctly in the olympic games because what we saw at the Paris olympic game is not a correct  Nigeria representation” he said 

He stressed that the government needs to take the lead in injecting financial resources into the sports sector. By doing so, he assured that sponsors would be more likely to come on board, ultimately boosting the country’s sports development 

” Talking about athletics, a lot of importance has to be here, you have the resources, you have the people, i think that the government has to start first then I’m sure many sponsors will come along to help.” he adds 

By prioritizing investments in sports, Nigeria can unlock the potential of its athletes, improve its chances of qualifying for international competitions, and ultimately, bring pride and glory to the Nation.

As part of efforts to discover worthy ambassadors in the slamming and dunking game for the country members of the Impact Kiddies Sports Project during the week held a press conference to intimate journalists on their plans and programmes for next years world under 12 and under 16 basketball championship billed for Matera Italy 

The briefing was also to appeal to government and corporate bodies to key into this project to help channel the minds of the youth towards positive ventures there by taking them off social vices 

As part of its mission to develop and showcase exceptional young talent, the impact kiddies project is committed to selecting and training outstanding  basketball players from Lagos State to represent Nigeria on the global stage. 

President of the Impact Kiddies Sports Project, Joel Adams said 

the event marks a significant step in the journey to the World Youth Games, providing a platform to share updates, milestones, and future plans with stakeholders.

” This appeal is to prevent what happened last year where only few of the players out of the whole team who got visas from the Italian embassy were supported by their parents to make the trip. We are calling on the government and the corporate world to assist this talented youngster achieve their dream in life and become good ambassadors of the country ” He said 

Founder and Executive Director of African Youth a initiative on crime prevention (AYICRIP), Ambassador Chris Ibe said Sport and physical activity can give people a sense of belonging, loyalty and support, which may mean that suicide, truancy, and illicit drug use is no longer viewed as an option. 

AYICRIP, who are partnering with the project adds that the experiences young people get from involvement in sport could include physical activity, fitness, and skill development.

” We are calling on Nigerians to rally round this project to discover talented basketball players who will win laurels for the country. We have the talents what is lacking is the needed support to take them to the peak of their careers ” He said 

An open camp has been fixed for January 2025 to kick start talent identification process, aimed at selecting top-performing athletes who embody excellence, sportsmanship, and leadership 

Some of the players who have played in tournament in Italy speak on their experience just as they call  for government agencies and private sector to support the initiative and empower young athletes.

Nigeria is expected to represent 5 teams comprising male and female at the world youth basketball championship in June 2025

The Lagos State sports commission, SUBEB and the Nigeria basketball federation have all thrown their weight behind the project