10th Korean Ambassador’s Cup: Otudinma, Itiku emerge MVPs as national players deliver star performance

By Our Reporter

NATIONAL athletes that represented Nigeria at the 2019 All African Games in Rabat Morocco back in August showed they were still in fine form when the curtains came down on the just concluded 10th Korean Ambassador’s Cup, which held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria.

Seven of the national athletes, who chose the 10th Korean Ambassador Cup as their first tournament since the All African Games, included All African Games bronze medalists Uzoamaka Otuadinma and Benjamin Okuomose; All African Games quarter-finalists Peter Itiku, Abdulfathi Sanusi and Arinola Abdullateef. Sekinat Adebayo who was eliminated at the preliminary stage during the All African Games also entered for the Korean ambassador’s tournament.

On day one of the tournament, Abdulfathi Sanusi who was representing Q-Madi at the tournament clinched the gold in the male -58kg fly weight division when he defeated fellow national team mate, Arionola Abdullateef who was representing Lagos State.

Sekinat Adebayo, who represented Delta, had a brief redemption when she emphatically clinched the gold in the female -49kg after defeating Laady Iho of Nasarawa State.

All other national team players clinched their gold on day two, when Benjamin Okuomose of the Nigeria Army defeating CCSF’s Kenneth Ogbu in the finals to continue the golden haul. Former African Champion, and 2019 African Bronze Medallist, Uzoamaka Otuadinma followed up with an impressive win over Adaeze Efobi who was representing an unaffiliated team.

Upcoming star, Peter Itiku, representing Team CCSF then closed the deal when he demolished Anambra’s Dandy Ogbonna in the finals after posting man-of-the-tournament performances during all his matches at the tournament.

The performances of former African Champion, Uzoamaka Otuadinma, and All African Games quarterfinalist, Peter Itiku, earned them the highly coveted MVP awards, which came along with a brand new 49 inches TV flat screen at the 10th edition of the Korean Ambassador’s Cup and was presented by the Ambassador to Embassy of South Korea in Nigeria himself, Mr Lee In-Tae.

Other athletes that were the training partners at the All African Games also showed outstanding improvement in form as all of them won medals.

In the female -62kg lightweight, Alice Ikor representing the Nigeria Army won the gold medal. In the female +73kg heavyweight, Oyebanji Olapeju won the gold medal. In the female -67kg welter weight, Bukola Ogunnusi won the gold medal. In the male -68kg, Baffa won the gold medal after defeating other national team attendees, Kebbi’s Jamilu Danbaba in the finals and CCSF’s Precious Benson in the semi-finals. CCSF’s Daniel Inaju also came away with the bronze after losing to eventual winner, Abdulfathi Sanusi.

Last year’s MVP, Ifeoluwa Ajayi pulled out of the tournament at the last moment due to an injury, and thus did not get the chance to defend his title and award.

The results of all these athletes, who were at the All African Games national training camp, laid bare the quality of difference between the national athletes and the rest of the taekwondo population after exposure to high quality training and an international competitive experience.

The next national ranked tournament will be at Kebbi between 9 and 11 November 2019.

Source: Nigeria Taekwondo Federation