Nasarawa State has continued to dominate headlines as one of the best performers from the northern part of the country at National Sporting Championships.
The State, created in October 1, 1996, emerged overall 4th position and 2nd best northern State after F.C.T, Abuja, at the recently concluded Maiden Strata Base National Open Karate Championship held at the Civic Sports Centre, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, from 16th to 20th February, 2022.
The Coach Kingley-Enyie led Karate Team won a total of thirteen medals, comprising one gold, three silver and nine bronze to come behind Delta State, Anambra State, and FCT Abuja who came first, second, and third respectively.
With a total contingent members of fifteen, made up of twelve athletes and three officials, Team Nasarawa won Gold Medal in the +89 Male Category through Kikaolisa Oguaja; the trio of Chioma Ani, Saidu Ahmad and Suleimon Shittu won Silver Medal each in the -68kg Female and -60kg and -67kg Male Categories respectively.
Three Bronze Medals were won by the trio of Chioma Ani, Mary Stephen, and Lilian Anah in the Team Kata Female Category, while the duo of Dauda Nasiru and Haruna Mamuda each won one bronze in the -84kg and -60kg Male Category separately.
And the quartet of Dauda Nasiru, Emmanuel Jacob, Saidu Ahmad and Hamza Mutari won one bronze medal each in the Male Team Kata.
Other participating States include, Cross River, Bayelsa, Edo, Oyo, Lagos, Rivers, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Taraba, Plateau, Ogun, Kwara and Kaduna, whose positions are according to the aforementioned hierarchy.
The contingent has since returned to Lafia, the State capital, where they are expected to be given a rousing reception by relevant authorities, before they will begin preparations ahead of the 1st Japanese Ambassador’s Karate Tournament billed for the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, from 7th to 10th April, 2022.
