Ifeadi predicts bright future for combat sports as SKI-N karate course, tourney ends

President of Shotokan Karate Do International-Nigeria (SKI-N), Dr. Emmanuel Brasca Udo Ifeadi, believes the country will become great in combat sports if athletes get enough competitions and exposure to hone their skills.

Speaking at the third SKI-N International Course and Championship, which ended at the National Stadium, Lagos, at the weekend, Ifeadi commended participants at the exercise, saying the vision of his organisation is to produce athletes that will win laurels for the country in international championships.

He stated that having other African karatekas coming to Nigeria for the International Karate Course and Championship, has shown that Nigeria is a force to reckon with in combat sports.

“Over 100 karate athletes participate in the exercise, which will enable them learn more about Shotokan Karate and other modern techniques of the sport.

“It was a successful exercise as Shotokan Karate practitioners from different associations participated in the event. At the end of the exercise, more skills were introduced to the athletes to help them get more exposed in the sport,” he said.

Ifeadi, a seventh Dan Blackbelt holder and SKIF Japan certified fighter, thanked the Lagos State Karate Association and Karate Federation of Nigeria for their support in the success of the course.

Internationally reputed Karate instructor, Shuseki Shihan, Manabu Murakami, an eight Dan chief instructor from Shotokan Karate Do-International Federation (SKIF), Japan, was present at the event to teach and supervise the athletes on various modern aspects of Shotokan Karate.

Among participating countries in the programme were Benin Republic, Chad, Cameroun, Niger Republic, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana and host, Nigeria.