Taekwondo sensations maintain top spots in national rankings

TWO taekwondo sensations Ifeluwa Ajayi and Josephine Esuku have maintained their top positions in the recent rankings released by the Nigerian Taekwondo Federation (NTF).

The NTF Technical Director and Olympic bronze-medalist, Chika Chukwumerije made this known in a statement disclosed that the duo maintained the positions with their exploits at the recently concluded 2018 Korean Ambassador cup competition. organized by the NTF in conjunction with the South Korean embassy in the country.

Chukwumerije said that Ajayi of the Q-Madi team won the coveted male-Most Valuable Player (MVP) during the Korean
ambassador’s cup and Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Esuku, won two gold and one silver medals at the competition, said: “Esuku’s feat ensured that her Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) team emerged the overall best team in the competition for the sixth consecutive edition.”

According to the release, the latest NTF ranking which is updated after every major competition shows that top taekwondo athletes’ positions remained unchanged despite several dynamics.

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“The NTF ranking system debuted in 2017 with the objective of tracking the progress and development of both elite and upcoming taekwondo players in Nigeria.

The release stated that top ranked players would earn an invitation to the national selection camp for 2019 All African Games.

“The eight-ranked athletes in each category would be needed for the forthcoming National Sports Festival holding in Abuja from Dec.6—16, 2018,” it stated.

It also revealed that the gold medalist at the national sports festival would earn an invitation to 2019 All African games
selection camp.