Nigeria has boosted its medal tally at the 2026 African Taekwondo Championships in Bamako, Mali, after securing three gold medals alongside one silver and three bronze at the World Taekwondo-sanctioned G-4 tournament.
The competition, held at the Palais des Sports Salamatou Maiga, has seen Nigeria’s total medal count rise to seven across various categories, with strong performances in both Kyorugi and Poomsae events.
Aderibigbe Faridah delivered one of the standout performances, winning gold in the Freestyle Poomsae category. She also partnered with Salawudeen Abdulafeez to claim silver in the Pair Poomsae event, further strengthening Nigeria’s presence in the discipline.
Earlier success came from Haruna Usman, who secured gold in the Poomsae U-40 Male category, while Para-Taekwondo athlete Mathew Udom opened Nigeria’s gold medal account with a dominant display in the -57kg Kyorugi division.
Nigeria also added three bronze medals through Joel Jordan in the men’s +87kg Kyorugi category, Chidinma Okoko in the women’s -62kg division, and Salawudeen Abdulafeez in the Poomsae U-30 Male event.
Despite Nigeria’s strong showing, Morocco emerged dominant in the Kyorugi events, sweeping eight gold medals to finish as overall champions of the competition.
The President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Tayo Popoola, praised the athletes’ performance and encouraged them to maintain momentum as the tournament progressed.
“I know you can do it, so I need some more,” she said, expressing confidence that the team could further improve its standing on the medal table.
Nigeria’s latest success underscores its growing competitiveness in African taekwondo, particularly in Poomsae events, where athletes continue to deliver podium finishes at continental level.
