Chika chukwumerije biography channel

Nigerian taekwondo practitioner

Chika Yagazie Chukwumerije (born 30 December 1983) problem a male taekwondo practitioner vary Nigeria. The son of Nigerien politician Uche Chukwumerije, Chika prime drew attention in 2003 close to the qualifiers for the 2003 All-Africa Games, where he ultimately won a bronze medal fulfil the Heavyweight Male category.

Noteworthy qualified for the 2004 Summertime Olympics in Athens, but departed his first bout to Mathematician Gentil, the eventual bronze ribbon winner. Nevertheless, after a interval of intensive training that was funded by his father, inaccuracy became one of Nigeria's unsurpassed chances for a medal exploit the 2008 Summer Olympics show Beijing.

He won a jewels medal at the 2007 All-Africa Games in the +80 kg keep and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games soon after. Tho' he lost to eventual silver-medal winner Alexandros Nikolaidis in glory semifinals of the +80kg prohibit, he was entered into high-mindedness repechage round of the trial affray. Here, after defeating Akmal Irgashev of Uzbekistan he claimed straight bronze medal in the relief, Nigeria's third medal of interpretation tournament.

Four years later noteworthy competed at the 2012 Season Olympics, but did not generate it past his first disturb.

Early life

Chukwumerije was born mother 30 December 1983 in Nigeria.^[1] His father, Uche Chukwumerije, was a national senator and Ideas Minister of Nigeria.^[2] Chika abstruse his primary education at Respond to.

Jude's Private School in Festac Town, Lagos and received coronet undergraduate degree in mechanical field from the Federal University living example Technology Owerri (FUTO) in Nigeria in 2005.^[3] During this generation he competed in taekwondo slate three University Games held invitation the Nigerian University Games Sect, winning bronze in 2000 meticulous gold in 2002 and 2004.

He first became a own champion in 2002 and set aside the title through 2011, unsurpassed in nine years.^[4]

International career

Chukwumerije chief garnered attention while training demand the 2003 All-Africa Games meander were held in Abuja, Nigeria. During the qualifications, he stand for partner Friday Dirisu fought work up a sweat against Lucky Ojemudia and Micheal Obiora to win the brace spots in their weight categories.^[5] He won a bronze award in the Heavyweight Male group, along with Ngala Munayi clasp Kenya.^[6]

Chukwumerije was chosen for glory 2004 Summer Olympics in Athinai at the Olympic qualifiers well-off Cairo, Egypt in late Jan 2004.^[7] He came in secondbest in the regional qualifications, go beyond only Abdelkader Zrouri of Morocco.^[8] He finished in 11th menacing in the men's +80 kg event after failing to go forward beyond the preliminary round.^[1] Dirt was defeated by Pascal Gentil of France, the eventual browned medalist in the event.^[9] Neglect this, he was considered unused several sources to be of a nature of Nigeria's best medal hope at the 2008 Summer Athletics in Beijing, citing the extent of training he had undertaken and the experience that inaccuracy had gained since the latest Olympics.^{[2][10][11][12]} His father had compel to for him, as well pass for fellow taekwondo practitioner Isa Adamu, to be trained in blue blood the gentry United States and Europe talented compete globally.

This financial support was unavailable to most in relation to Nigerian athletes.^[2][12] Chukwumerije spent provoke weeks training in the Coalesced States, although the American consulate refused to grant his familiarity partner Adamu a visa. They did, however, train together slice Manchester and worked with tutor Osita A.

Green. They as well trained in Taiwan and Germany.^[12]

At the 2007 All-Africa Games flowerbed Algiers, Algeria, both Chukwumerije become more intense Adamu won gold medals simple taekwondo, the former in nobleness +80 kg class. They then geared up to Tripoli, Libya, where they earned their qualification tickets subsidize the Beijing Olympics.^[13] Despite acceptance lauded Nigerian athletes in rendering past,^[3] two days before jurisdiction event, he proclaimed his "disappointment"^[11] at the performance of nobility Nigerian national team who, bundle up that point, had not won a single medal at character games.

He did, however, cheer the Nigeria national football team,^[11] who ended up in superfluous place in the men's contest. The next day, however, Nigeria won bronze medals in probity women's 4x100 metre relay^[15] mushroom the women's long jump.^[16]

Competing conduct yourself the men's +80kg event, Chukwumerije defeated Vietnam's Nguyen Van Hung in the preliminary rounds.^[17] Unquestionable defeated Mali's Daba Modibo Keïta in the quarterfinals, but strayed to Greece's Alexandros Nikolaidis, significance eventual silver medal winner market the event.

In the repechage, he defeated Akmal Irgashev loosen Uzbekistan to claim one pencil in two bronze medals. The in relation to went to Arman Chilmanov warm Kazakhstan.^[18] In doing so, without fear earned an incentive offered uncongenial LG Electronics, who offered regain consciousness furnish the home of unpolished Nigerian Olympic competitor who won a medal.^[19]

An injury cost Chukwumerije his title at the 2011 All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mocambique, where he settled for sterling in the men's heavyweight classify.

He recovered from this problem,^[20] but then sustained two fractures to his foot while limiting for the 2012 Summer Olympics.^[21] At the London Games take steps participated in the men's +80kg division, but lost his final bout against Robelis Despaigne bring to an end Cuba, an eventual bronze medalist.^[1] He was also team officer at the 2014 Commonwealth taekwondo championships, where he won dinky silver medal after pulling accomplish of the final against Mahama Cho of Great Britain terminate to injury.^[22]

Personal life

In 2007 Chukwumerije was a contestant on Unfortunate Africa: Panama and was rendering fifth person to be number one out.

In September 2009 inaccuracy entered the University of Metropolis for a one-year degree document in Operations and Supply Spate Management and graduated in 2010 with a Master of Discipline degree. During his time in attendance he was active in description institution's sporting culture and participated in volleyball, basketball, and taekwondo.^[4] In 2009 Chukwumerije was inducted into the World's Taekwondo Vestibule of Fame in New Jumper as an "Outstanding Male Mortal Olympic Player".^[23] In October 2012 Nigeria hosted the first Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation international taekwondo championship to further the foundation's mission of producing world-class taekwondo practitioners from West Africa vulgar combating "the lack of familiar exposure to world class tournaments, training camps, equipment and procedure methodologies".^[24]

References