Taekwondo federation gears up for African tourney

RWANDA TAEKWONDO Federation (RTF) says the country will be ready in time to host the 2013 Africa Taekwondo Championships, scheduled for November 22-25 in Kigali.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

RWANDA TAEKWONDO Federation (RTF) says the country will be ready in time to host the 2013 Africa Taekwondo Championships, scheduled for November 22-25 in Kigali.

The continental event is expected to attract about 35 countries from across Africa and, according to the Secretary General of the local Taekwondo governing body; Placide Bagabo, Rwanda will be ready to host the three-day tournament.

"We have over ten hotels in the vicinity of the stadium which sorts out the issue of accommodation, one of the main issues that the Africa Taekwondo Union is normally interested in,” he said. "On our part we are good to go.”

The tournament will be played at the Amahoro Indoor Stadium and the National Paralympics Gymnasium, while boxing gymnasium will be used for warm-ups. The International Taekwondo Federation and Africa Taekwondo Union are the main sponsors of the tournament.

The local Taekwondo federation, over the weekend, organised a two-day regional tournament dubbed ‘Ambassador’s Cup’ as a dress rehearsal for the African Championships.

The event attracted 183 participants from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and hosts Rwanda.

Rwanda won both the girls’ and boys’ categories as well as the men’s senior title. Kenya won the women’s senior trophy.