Delta State on Saturday emerged champions of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) National Open Championships in Abuja. Delta won five gold, six silver and six bronze medals while host FCT-Abuja placed second with three gold, two silver and three bronze with Nasarawa coming third with two gold, three silver and seven bronze held inside the indoor sports hall Package National Stadium.
Anambara finished fourth with two gold, while Lagos in fifth position with one gold, three silver and three bronze and Bayelsa got one gold and three bronze to end up at seventh position.
Sokoto state came eight with one gold, Happyfist Club of Abuja finished ninth after winning one silver.
Kano, Plateau, GMAA, Akwa Ibom and Ninja club of Rivers State placed joint tenth position after winning one bronze each.
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Meanwhile, Cross Rivers, J103 of Rivers State, Imo state and Niger finished without any medal.
The following athletes won gold medals for Delta state; Aderonke Ogunsanwo (-50kg) in the female category, Joseph Omu (-84kg), Hope Adele (+84kg) in the male category. They also won the Team Kumite for both male and female.
Blessing James (-61kg) in the female category and Ifeanyi Ogene (-67kg) in the male category won gold medals for FCT-Abuja.
Ujunwa Nwankwo (-68kg) of Anambra State, who won gold and silver at the WSKF Nigeria open as well as silver at the Zainab Saleh Female Open, won a gold medal at the National Open.
In a chat with aclsports.com, Hope Adele and Aderonke Ogunsanwo said their next targets are the various international competitions next year.
“I and my fellow teammates from Delta have shown that all we need is support from our board. We’ll be attending the UAE Premier Karate League next year and all we want is to participate”, Adele said.
“I’m happy that a new board is here and we promise to fight with all our heart for the country”, he ended.
Ifeanyi Ogene and Ujunwa Nwankwo both said the journey to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics began after the end of the National Open.
