On the first day of the ongoing 2025 African Karate Championship at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Team Nigeria won a total of five medals.
In the cadet category for team kata and kumite, Nigeria earned one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals, placing second in the day one rankings.
In an interview with The Trumpet, Kingsley Onuelu, head coach of the cadet and junior national karate team, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance on the first day of the event.
“Our goal was to perform our best and set new records. We are winning medals that are not typically secured at the junior and cadet levels.
“We achieved one gold, two silver, and a couple of bronze medals. We began training in April, bringing the athletes together for long-term preparation, which contributed to our success,” he stated.
Jennifer Ehiozibue, who claimed gold in the cadet kumite -61kg category, shared that this was her first time competing in a major event and emphasized her determination to succeed.
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“This competition is a valuable learning experience for me. It’s my first time meeting athletes from across Africa.
“I’m gaining insights from them, and I’m thrilled to have won. I came with the intention to win, but I felt nervous about facing the Egyptian athlete.
“However, I believed I could win because my coach reminded me that everyone is beatable,” she said.
Egypt tops the rankings with eight gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.
Nigeria secured second place with one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.
Senegal and Morocco are tied for third, each with one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal.
Algeria finished fourth with one gold medal, while Cameroon came in fifth with three silver and four bronze medals.
South Africa is placed sixth with one silver and three bronze medals.
Kenya ranks seventh with one silver and two bronze medals, and Guinea took eighth place with one silver and one bronze medal.
The Trumpet reports that Nigeria is represented by 60 athletes, many of whom are African champions and Commonwealth Games medalists.
A total of 31 countries are participating in the ongoing 2025 African Karate Championship, which began on Monday and is set to conclude on Sunday.
