Mombasa County Taekwondo Team bagged eight gold, three silver, and four bronze medals to win the Intercountry School Open Taekwondo 2024 Championship.
The two-day championship held at the Nyali Executive GYM, had ten and nine teams from Mombasa and Nairobi respectively. Bambiland Academy from Nairobi came in second place with three golds, two silvers and two bronzes.
Position three was taken by Tumaj Sports Academy also from Nairobi who got five silver and 17 bronze medals.
The games are being used to scout for players who will form a team that will represent Kenya in the Global Taekwondo Championships 2025 which will be held in South Africa.
The players will be selected from the Nairobi and Mombasa school teams. Players ages range between five years to fourteen years and they compete according to their ages.
“This sport aims to promote discipline in children through Taekwondo. We will have a selection as we prepare the players for the championships next year in South Africa,” said Steven Otieno, the Coach of the Nairobi Team.
“When we finish they will return to classes for examinations to continue with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC),” he added.
The players who will emerge winners in the Mombasa championships will be chosen to join the team that will travel to South Africa.
Otieno lauded the government for promoting the sport to be among the games at the Olympics. Taekwondo was mainly played in informal settlements.
“Taekwondo is a recognized sport that is taught in the CBC. It helps the children’s mental development and body growth and it assists them in their studies. Taekwondo is the only Olympic sport among martial arts that the government has allowed to be taught in primary schools,” he said.
Hellen Koome, aged 12 years, a pupil of Solidarity Primary School, Nairobi expected to win the Mombasa championships to add more trophies to her stable.
Koome said she was attracted to the sport as she was fond of fighting as a child and when it was introduced in her school she readily joined.
“It helps me in personal strength, physical fitness, discipline and focus,” she stated.
Taekwondo Coast Region Technical Chairman Bob Otieno, said they will select the best team to take to South Africa. They have got a clearance from the government to participate in the South Africa tournament.
By Sadik Hassan
