Ben Ezechime, Enugu
No fewer than sixty taekwondo athletes of various categories are currently participating in an ongoing taekwondo grading programme at the Indoor Sports Complex of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The seven-day grading programme is headed and supervised by Taekwondo Grandmaster, Dennis Ani, and assisted by other taekwondo instructors within the country.
Speaking with newsmen after the official commencement on Saturday, the Chairman of Enugu State Taekwondo Association, Ebere Amaraizu, said that the grading in taekwondo determines the development and growth of the individual athletes in the sports.
According to Amaraizu, grading in taekwondo is very important since it also determines the level of assimilation of taekwondo tenets of modesty, indomitable spirit, perseverance and integrity among others.
“The grading programme is also expected to take taekwondo athletes through the grading process of passing through the basic and complex rudiments of taekwondo art.
“The exercise will provide platforms of assessment in terms of hand technique, leg techniques, body form, poomsae (instructor/sports respect), self defence technique, stamina, fighting skills among others .
“The 60 identified taekwondo athletes participating (both boys and girls) will undergo the grading exercise after which their belts based on their level of performances will be issued to them.
“Then, they will move over to their new belt level and new level of training as well,” he said.
Amaraizu said that the ongoing grading is contained in 2023 Taekwondo training programme for the state; adding that taekwondo being an Olympic Game, requires strict adherence to its rules and regulation even in its developmental plans.
“It is only by bringing up these kids properly as first grade athletes that future Olympic athletes are made,” he added.
