Otudinma, Itiku emerge MVPs at 10th Korean Ambassador’s Cup

National athletes that represented Nigeria at 2019 All African Games in Rabat Morocco back in August showed they are  still in fine form when the curtains fell on the just concluded 10th Korean Ambassador’s Cup, which held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria.
Seven of the national athletes, who chose the 10th Korean Ambassador Cup as their first tournament since the All African Games, included All African Games bronze medalists, Uzoamaka Otuadinma and Benjamin Okuomose; All African Games quarter-finalists, Peter Itiku, Abdulfathi Sanusi and Arinola Abdullateef. Sekinat Adebayo, who was eliminated at the preliminary stage during the All African Games also entered for the Korean ambassador’s tournament.
On day one of the tournament, Abdulfathi Sanusi, who was representing Q-Madi at the tournament clinched the gold in the male -58kg flyweight division when he defeated fellow national teammate, Arionola Abdullateef, who was representing Lagos State.
Sekinat Adebayo, who represented Delta, had a brief redemption when she emphatically clinched the gold in the female -49kg after defeating Laady Iho of Nasarawa state.
All other national team players clinched their gold on day two, with Benjamin Okuomose of the Nigerian Army defeating CCSF’s Kenneth Ogbu in the finals to continue the golden haul. Former African champion, and 2019 African bronze medallist, Uzoamaka Otuadinma followed up with an impressive win over Adaeze Efobi, who was representing an unaffiliated team.
Upcoming star, Peter Itiku, representing Team CCSF then closed the deal when he demolished Anambra’s Dandy Ogbonna in the finals after posting man-of-the-tournament performances during all his matches at the tournament.
The performances of former African Champion, Uzoamaka Otuadinma, and All African Games quarter-finalist, peter Itiku, earned them the highly coveted MVP awards, which came along with a brand new 49 inches TV flat screen at the 10th edition of the Korean Ambassador’s Cup and was presented by the Ambassador to Embassy of South Korea in Nigeria himself, Mr Lee In-Tae.
Other athletes that were the training partners at the All African Games also showed outstanding improvement in form as all of them won medals.
In the female -62kg lightweight, Alice Ikor representing the Nigeria Army won the gold medal. In the female +73kg heavyweight, Oyebanji Olapeju won the gold medal. In the female -67kg welterweight, Bukola Ogunnusi won the gold medal. In the male -68kg, Baffa won the gold medal after defeating other national team attendees, Kebbi’s Jamilu Danbaba in the finals and CCSF’s Precious Benson in the semi-finals. CCSF’s Daniel Inaju also came away with the bronze after losing to the eventual winner, Abdulfathi Sanusi.
The results of all these athletes, who were at the All African Games national training camp, laid bare the quality of difference between the national athletes and the rest of the taekwondo population after exposure to high quality training and international competitive experience.