Federation invites 14 Judokas for Cairo camp

In consonance with their pledge to ensure a totally thorough upliftment and promotion of Judo in the country, the Nigerian Judo Federation have invited 14 judokas to the camp. The invitation of the athletes is also in preparation for the 24th World Judo Championships billed to take place in the Egyptian capital, Cairo in about a month's.

The pre-World championships camping session, which holds in Bauchi, nigeriasports.com can authoritatively tell you, begins on July 19, 2005 and it is expected to last for 12 days.  According to the federation, Akwa Ibom and Delta States top the list of invited judokas with three each. Next to the two states, is incidently the hosts of the camping session, Bauchi, which has two.

Anambra, Imo, Edo, Lagos and the Nigerian Army have a judoka each.  The list of players as released by the federation includes; Nsa Bashir (Nassarawa), Emeka Onyemachi (Anambra), Segun Adeniyi (Lagos), Ekong Obong Akwa (Akwa Ibom), Onyewuchi Nwandu (Imo), David Onyekachi (Akwa Ibom), Mayel Yakubu and Ilya Mark (Bauchi); all male judokas.

The females include Funmilayo Adebayo (Delta), Cathrine Ewa-Ekuta (Akwa Ibom), Agatha Justine anAgatha Justine and Loveth EdafedLoveth Edafe (Delta) and Agbodobri Victoria (Edo).  The federation stated that, the Bauchi camping was the first leg in the series of programmes lined up for the World Championships-bound team.

"The first phase of camping would end on July 31; thereafter, the Judokas will return to their respective States to prepare for the 2nd Orji Uzor Kalu National Open Championships," Secretary-General of of the federation, Mrs Tayo Oreweme said.  She continued that, the Orji Kalu event, is to test the battle-readiness of those, who were invited to the first phase of camping.

Oreweme also added that, the top winners at the Orji Kalu championship, would be invited to the second phase camping session, which comes up immediately after the local championship. "The second phase of camping would end on the eve of the championship and I am sure that, by then, a crack squad would have emerged from the intensive screening exercises," the Scribe said hopefully.

Nigeria's fortunes at the global championships, had been on the downward trend since the feat of Majemite Omaboluwaje in 1989.  But, with the current wave in the federation, things seem to be looking up once again and the Nigerian Judokas, are likely to make a meaningful impact at the World Championship.

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