UNILORIN to host universities’ Karate championship from Aug. 9 — Sports director

The Management of the University of Ilorin has announced that the institution was set to host the third All Nigerian Universities Open Karate Championship scheduled for Aug. 9 to Aug. 13, an official has said.

Prof. Olufunmilola Dominic, the University’s Director of Sports, disclosed this in Ilorin on Monday, when she received the Chairman, Nigerian Universities Karate Association (NUKA), Mr Olufemi Johnson.

Dominic, a Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, said that following the approval of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, the University was now more than ready to host the games.

She assured NUKA that the institution had adequate equipment and state-of-the-art facilities to host a befitting third edition of the championships, billed to feature 23 institutions.

The NUKA chairman said that athletes who impressed at the tournament may have the chance to feature at the World Karate Universities’ Games and World Universities’ Games.

He further said that the institution’s facilities attracted the association to host the games in Ilorin, following the successful first and second editions held at the University of Abuja and University of Benin respectively.

Johnson announced that the male and female athletes would compete in individual and Team Kata ‘Form’ and also in Individual and Team Kumite ‘Sparring’.

He added that the event was expected to also feature a Referee’s Course that was intended to “amplify the technical repertoire of Zonal Referees and Judges, before the Championship proper”.

It was reported that the University of Ilorin Karate Team came second on the medals table at the second 2019 Nigerian Universities Karate Championship hosted by the University of Benin.