The 10th edition of the Zainab Saleh International Female Open Karate Championship has kicked off on October 18 at the Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
Founded and sponsored by Zainab Saleh, this championship aims to provide a platform for female karatekas to showcase their skills and develop their technical abilities. Ms. Saleh emphasized the importance of women having the skills to defend themselves, highlighting karate as one of the best ways to achieve this.
The championship was initiated to address the disparity between male and female karate representation. According to Ms. Saleh, she noticed a significant gap in the technical abilities and recognition of female karatekas compared to their male counterparts during national and international competitions.
Over the years, the championship has produced notable athletes, including Gennario Ocean from Benin Republic, who has participated in the World Karate Championships, and Rita Ossoni, who has won bronze medals at the African Karate Federation (UFAC) events. Ms. Saleh noted that exposure from this championship has helped many female karatekers to represent Nigeria at various international events.
Despite its success, the championship has faced significant challenges, particularly in securing sponsorship. Ms. Saleh highlighted the need for corporate bodies and other stakeholders to support the event to ensure its continued growth and impact.
