Abuja: Silas Agara, President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), announced on Monday that the recently concluded African Karate Championship in Abuja was the best performance by Team Nigeria to date. Agara assessed the country’s achievements at the championship, highlighting that Team Nigeria’s previous highest medal haul in a continental championship stood at one gold, one silver, and one bronze.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria has the facilities and capacity to host international events. Agara noted that Egypt participated with 10 of the world’s best athletes, and Nigeria successfully competed with them in the finals. He emphasized the importance of nurturing young talent in the sport, stating, “Karate has come to stay in Nigeria, and we need to groom our cadets and juniors so that they can replace the aging athletes.”
Agara expressed his gratitude to the Federal Government and the National Sports Commission (NSC) for their support in hosting a successful championship. He affirmed Nigeria’s readiness to host another championship if given the opportunity, adding, “I’m happy that this championship has received high praise from the President of the World Karate Federation and the President of the Union of African Karate Federation and his executive board.”
The championship showcased the talents of athletes from across Africa, with Nigeria’s athletes impressively competing against the world’s best. A total of 31 countries participated in the championship, which commenced on July 21 and concluded on Sunday. Agara expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to host more continental and possibly world championships in the future, citing the country’s existing facilities and organizational capacity.
