Nigeria is pleased with taekwondist Uche Chukwumerije, who recently won gold at the Belgium Open International Taekwondo Championship, a statement reaching Xinhua said on Thursday.

The statement, signed by Sports Minister Tammy Danagogo in Abuja, expressed hope that the gold medal would likely place the athlete among the top 30 in the next international taekwondo rankings.

"To have our athletes among the top in the world rankings is laudable and brilliant, and I urge the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) to win more laurels to encourage Nigerians to celebrate you," said the official statement which also commended the government of South Korea for its support in encouraging the sport in Africa's most populous country.

It added that the Nigerian federation had developed a strong youth team which would further make the country proud in taekwondo, while attributing the success of the federation to the encouragement it gets from government of the West African country.

"Now, this achievement will further pave way for Nigeria to be in the next Olympics," said the statement, noting Belgium Open marked the first time Nigeria attending a major Taekwondo event in five months. Endi

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