Nigeria’s Shotokan Karate Federation has added to the current success of Team Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, as Ujunwa Nwankwo won a gold medal in the open women category and bronze in 68kg category at the 2022 World Championship, which held in Tokyo, Japan.

Nwankwo retained the title she won in 2019 at the same venue after defeating Celly Amaris from Panama.

En route to the final of the World Championship, Nwankwo dismissed Yamazaki Masami from Japan in her first fight of the tournament and also triumphed over Natalia Sofia from Mexico in her second fight.

The other members of Team Nigeria’s contingent were Robert Iyioukwe Ogah, who missed out of the podium in the mixed team kata, and the chief instructor of the team, Bob Bamboye, who competed in the veteran’s category, winning a silver medal in his fight and bronze in the kata category.

Bamboye commended the team for it success and called for more support from government and corporate bodies to help the federation in their quest to take karate to great heights.

“The federation is proud of Ujunwa Nwankwo’s feat in Japan. All she needs is more encouragement to continue to fly the country’s flag internationally,” Bamboye said

Prior to the championship, the world body held a four-day seminar and grading, with Bamboye one of two instructors appointed as key instructors.

The World Shotokan Karate-do Federation (WSKF) Championships in Tokyo, Japan began on August 1 and August 6 2022. (The Guardian)