Commonwealth gold medalists battle for honour at 1st AFTU Taekwondo Opens

THE duo of 2014 Commonwealth Taekwondo gold medalists, Abubakar Isah Adamu, and veteran fighter, Jamilu Mohammed, are set to compete in the -58kg category at the 1st AFTU International Opens billed to hold at the Alexandria Olympic Centre, Egypt beginning from tomorrow.

  Adamu, who turned 18 years on February 15, will be coached by three-time Olympian, Chika Chukwumerije, who successfully guided the rising star alongside Shola Olowookere to gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. Jamilu Mohammed, who is also the current African Champion, will be coached by IOC-certified coach, Ibrahim Yahuza of Kano State.

  Young Adamu will be eager to continue from where he stopped in year 2014, where he won Gold medals at the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships, Lagos Opens and Korean Ambassador’s Team Cup, in addition to representing Nigeria at the World Junior Championships and Youth Olympic Qualifiers.

  The AFTU Opens will also present a unique set of challenges to Adamu, who will be competing for the first time in the adult category at international level.

   “I felt really light during training yesterday and my body is relaxed. I have been studying competition videos of my opponents and I look forward to what I expect to be an exciting experience in Alexandria, Egypt.”

 His mentor, and Beijing 2008 Bronze medalist, Chika Chukwumerije, struck a more cautionary tone.

  “Adamu is hugely talented, very ambitious and he works very hard at training sessions. He is still young and this is the first time he is competing in the senior category, and first time he will be competing this year. 

He is competing against opponents that compete regularly.