AHMADIYYA INTERNATIONAL MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (AIMAAN) IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAGOS STATE TAEKWONDO ASSOCIATION HOSTS THE 3RD AIMAAN UNDER -18 TAEKWONDO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (EKO 2022).
The Ahmadiyya International Martial Arts of Nigeria (AIMAAN) U-18 3rd Taekwondo Open Championship was held on the 1st of October 2022, at Indoor Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos State. The One-day championship featured numerous athletes from different states, notable people from different Taekwondo Associations in the country and several Taekwondo clubs.
The first U-18 AIMAAN Open Championship was held in 2017 at Ojokoro, Lagos state. The second edition was held in 2019 at Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, Oyo State with a total number of 96 athletes from 3 states and 7 clubs, and 10 officials.
The third edition hosted a total number of 260 athletes from 6 states and 19 clubs with quality officiating by 45 Taekwondo officials. The championship could not hold in 2020 and 2021 due to the Global pandemic crises (COVID -19) that ravaged the world.
The event which was organized by AIMAAN under the coordination of Majlis Khuddam-ul Ahmadiyya Nigeria (MKAN) was done to give a sense of self-esteem, knowledge of self-defense, heightened mental and physical well-being of the athletes.
Most importantly, AIMAAN U-18 Open Championship featured athletes from different clubs and schools in Nigeria, numerous national and regional academies and martial arts organizations including Lagos State Taekwondo Association, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Nigeria Taekwondo Black Belt College (NTBBC), Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Majlis Khuddam ul Ahmadiyya, Nigeria (MKAN), Majlis Ansarullah of Nigeria (MAAN).
All athletes arrived at the stadium at exactly 6:00am, just like any other Taekwondo competitions, the athletes were weighed, and the competition started at exactly 8:00am.
The dignitaries at the event were Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria Alh. (Barr) Alatoye Folorunsho Abdul Azeez, Sadr MKA Nigeria Mr. Abdur Roqib Akinyemi, Lagos State Taekwondo Association, Chairman (Master Jimmy Ogunnowo), Lagos State Taekwondo Coach (Master Peace Ogunnowo), NTBBC Vice President GM Abdul Muhmeen (Big Abdul), NTF Vice President GM Tayo Popoola, GM Rafiu Ibrahim (King) among others.
260 athletes from 8 states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kebbi, Ondo, Kwara, Osun and the FCT) participated in the Championship with over 200 spectators within and outside Lagos state came to grace the AIMAAN U-18 3rd Open Championship. Winners of competitions in different categories were given medals and certificates.
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