Elizabeth Anyanacho

Nigeria’s Elizabeth Anyanacho has qualified for the Taekwondo event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after triumphing at the African qualifier in Rabat Morocco.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the 20-year old Anyancho secured the historic berth after defeating a five-time continental medalist, Urgence Mouega of Gabon, who was the former African Champion.

The result had made Elizabeth the first female to qualify for the Taekwondo event of the Olympics in 16 years, and the second female after Princess Dudu’s qualification for the Athens 2004 Olympics.

Nigeria’s Benjamin Okuomose, however, failed to clinch the Olympic ticket after losing 17 – 19 to former World Champion and Olympic Silver medalist, Anthony Obame of Gabon.

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The Nigerian had defeated Mozambique 10 – 0 at the opening round before the semi-finals defeat by Obame.

Okuomose beat Kenya’s Newton Maliro Nambani, 27 – 2 to win the bronze medal and will be on stand-by in case of any doping infractions by the eventual finalists.

At the pre-tournament head of team meeting, organisers confirmed that only finalists would clinch the Olympic tickets to Tokyo.

Hostilities will continue for the remaining eight tickets, with Nigeria’s duo of African Champion Chinazum Nwosu and Ifeoluwa Ajayi poised to join teammate Anyanacho for the winning tickets.