The Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) has revealed plans to begin the transition phase of elites’ athletes.
The federation’s president Dr. Musa Oshodi stated this during an exclusive interview, harping on the need to revive the sports at both primary and secondary school.
“We also want to catch them young at the primary and secondary school level. So, we have a program that we call Judo in school because in those days most of our good athletes they are being taken from secondary school.
“We want to ensure that we revisit that gesture which I know is going really gives us continuity and brighter future,” he said.
He stressed that the need to concentrate on the junior judokas, saying the federation is planning to hold the second edition of the Junior and Cadet championship billed to hold in August, 2024.
“One of the programs we have in mind is the junior and cadet championship, we have an edition last year and we intend to have the second edition this year. Like I said if you are only putting resources on the elite judoka, who will replace these judokas when they are ageing out, so we should also that one at the back of our mind,” he added.
Ahead of the 2023 Africa Games scheduled to commence next month, March, the president expressed optimism, urging the elites’ athletes to maximize the continental multi-sports competition to stamp their authorities and leave a legacy worthy of emulation.
“This is the time we expect the elite judokas to pay back to the system that made them and the caliber of athletes we have on ground, they are ready, top spirit and with the training giving to them, I know we are going to make Nigeria proud at the end of All Africa Games.
“In the level of Olympics, we are still doing everything humanly possible to ensure that we qualify for the Olympics because our is a qualifier scheme. We will ensure that whatever it takes to qualify for the Olympics,” he added.
He sought for supports ahead of the Africa Games and other federation programs.
“We seek the support of well-meaning Nigerians because we know that government can do it all to ensure that judo makes Nigeria proud,” he said.