Over 90 persons took part at a one-day post Paris 2-24 Olympics workshop organised by the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation in conjunction with the French Embassy held at the Springhall British School in Abuja.The aim of the workshop, according to the organsers, was to inspire young athletes and educate them about the Olympics, self defence and taekwondo.In the first part of the workshop, 40 girls from the secondary school were taught self-defence techniques, including the importance of environmental awareness, techniques and the legal use of self-defence.The practice session, supervised by Olympic medalist, Chika Chukwumerije, included defence against attacks to the face and how to react when being held against will.
The second half of the workshop had 50 kids from primary schools learning inspirational stories about the Olympics before being taught about the Olympics and taekwondo.The kids learnt about the Olympic motto, creed, flag meaning, Olympic cycles and sports in the Olympics as well as life lessons about Olympians like legendary gymnast Simone Biles of USA, the inspirational Eric Moussambani of Equitorial Guinea, revolutionary Dick Flosbury of USA and Nigeria’s Taekwondo icon, Chika Chukuwmerije.In the introduction to taekwondo, the kids were taught the etiquettes of the sport, as well as the rules, equipment and scoring procedures, one of the current core sports at the Olympics.Speaking at the workshop, Attaché to the French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange, lauded the impact of the programme on the participants and others present, including observers from the French Embassy and Institute Francais.“It was wonderful.