NUKA calls for support as UNIBEN wins 3rd Karate tourney

 

University of Benin (UNIBEN)  emerged champions of the 3rd University Karate Championship held recently at the University of Ilorin.

The University claimed 8 gold medals, 6 Silver and 9 bronze medals, pushing hosts Unilorin to the second position  with 5 gold medals, 4 silver and 10 bronze medals.

Fed University of Agric. Makurdi finished third with one gold medal, University of Abuja had 3 silver and 2 bronze medals while Delta State University finished with 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, PH and Kwara state University had no place on the podium.

The championship which saw Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) Nigeria University Karate Association (NUKA) and University of Ilorin colloborating to make it happen, had 71 entries form seven Universities.

Chairman Nigerian University Karate Association  Mr Femi Johnson while giving participant a pat on the back said there is room for wider participation in subsquent editions.

The event according to him achieved its purpose of providing a platform for exposing talented young Karate players to a high-level competitive experience and in the process discover promising athletes amongst them.

“Our plan is to increase the capacities of University Coaches through continuous training, make the University Karate Championship bi-annual, improve on training facilities and explore international training opportunities for athletes.

read also Karate ponders uncertain Olympic future after Tokyo debut

University Karate coaches were also called upon at  the occasion to amplity the standards of competing athletes even as the importance of the game not only as competitive sport but also as self defence mechanism were highlighted .