Nigeria delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 African Taekwondo Championships in Bamako, Mali, finishing with a total of seven medals, including three gold, one silver, and three bronze medals at the prestigious World Taekwondo-sanctioned G-4 tournament.
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The championship, held at the Palais des Sports Salamatou Maiga, saw Nigerian athletes excel across both the Kyorugi and Poomsae categories, further strengthening the country’s reputation on the continental stage.
The latest medals came from the Poomsae events, where Aderibigbe Faridah emerged victorious in the Freestyle Poomsae category to secure Nigeria’s third gold medal of the competition. Faridah also teamed up with Salawudeen Abdulafeez to claim a silver medal in the Pair Poomsae event.
Earlier, Haruna Usman had captured gold in the Poomsae U-40 Male category, while Para-Taekwondo athlete Mathew Udom delivered a commanding performance to win Nigeria’s first gold medal in the men’s -57kg Kyorugi division.
Nigeria also secured three bronze medals during the championship. Joel Jordan earned a podium finish in the men’s +87kg Kyorugi category, while Chidinma Okoko claimed bronze in the women’s -62kg division after defeating Mali’s Samake Goundo in the quarter-finals before narrowly missing out on a place in the final.
Salawudeen Abdulafeez added another medal to Nigeria’s tally with a bronze-medal finish in the Poomsae U-30 Male event.
The country’s medal haul of seven reflected a strong all-round performance by the Nigerian contingent, particularly in the Poomsae events where athletes delivered crucial results in the closing stages of the competition.
Speaking during the tournament, President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Tayo Popoola, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to secure more medals after the country’s first gold-medal success.
“I know you can do it, so I need some more,” Popoola said while encouraging the athletes to continue their strong performances.
She also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s chances in the Poomsae categories, a confidence that was ultimately rewarded as the athletes delivered additional medals for the country.
“We are still competing in the Poomsae events and we hope to secure medals in various categories. I trust our Poomsae athletes to deliver and improve our position on the medal table,” she added.
Meanwhile, Morocco emerged as the dominant force in the Kyorugi events, winning eight gold medals to finish as the overall champions of the competition.
Despite Morocco’s dominance, Nigeria’s athletes showcased resilience, determination, and technical excellence throughout the championship, producing one of the country’s strongest performances at the continental tournament in recent years.
The successful outing in Bamako is expected to boost the confidence of Nigerian athletes as they prepare for future international competitions and continue their quest for greater success on the global taekwondo stage.
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