Ghana Taekwondo Federation ready to host first International Championship

Accra, Aug. 16, GNA - The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ghana Taekwondo Federation (GTF) Mr. Adnan Lamptey, Wednesday said the Federation is ready to host the first International Taekwondo Open championship.

The tourney, which is scheduled for Friday, August 18 and Saturday August 19, is expected to draw participation from 15 countries including Ghana.

The other nations expected are the USA, Italy, Turkey, Rwanda, Mali, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Morocco, Malawi and Togo.

At a seminar held at the Media Center of the Accra Sports Stadium on Wednesday to educate the media on the upcoming competition, Mr. Lamptey said this is the first ever International competition in Sub Sahara Africa and that the Federation is ready to host a successful tourney.

The PRO said the main sponsors, Epsilon Security Limited, renovated the RLG Hathramani Hall of the Accra Sports Stadium at a cost GH¢60,000.00 for the event.

Other supporting sponsors include Blue Oceans and the Accra City Hotel where the 20 expected international referees, including one Ghanaian and guests will be lodging.

He explained that, to be a participant, an athlete needs to hold a passport, an international taekwondo license and 50 US Dollars to register for the World Taekwondo (WT) sanctioned championship.

He said 118 athletes from the 15 countries have confirmed their participation out of which 14 are Ghanaians.

Mr Lamptey said the WT sanctioned events affords the athletes an opportunity to gain more points to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

GNA

By Edna A. Quansah, GNA