Blimey! Toothache knocks Out Champion From Ibadan Judo Tourney

IKPO IGBINOBA 

One of Nigeria’s top female judokas will be missing in action during the National Senior Open Judo Championship.

Esther Augustine who proved her mettle at the just concluded 20th National Sports Festival by picking gold in the -70 kg category won’t be participating in Ibadan.

No thanks to a nagging toothache. 

Esther who would have been the star attraction in Ibadan told judoblitzng.com in a chat on Tuesday that she would be a spectator because of a troubling  toothache.

According to her “I will be in Ibadan but just as a spectator. I can’t participate with my toothache which has been giving me a lot of pain”.

The All Africa Games silver medalist expressed disappointment at the development. 

After relaunching her flagging judo career with a golden performance at the Sports Festival, Esther said she was determined to repeat the feat in Ibadan.

Upon return from Benin City, Esther without a break resumed training to prove that her gold medal  in the festival was not a fluke.

Unfortunately, when she was putting finishing touches to her training, Esther who should have flown the flag of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ibadan developed the toothache.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Judo  Federation,NJF has appointed two veteran coaches, Edokpolor Ihaza and Bashir Musa as the resource persons to conduct the two-day seminar that would precede  the championship sponsored by the Oshodi Judo Foundation.

The seminar is meant for coaches, referees, and elite judokas. 

Over 250 judokas from the thirty six states of the federation, Abuja, the military and the para-military will tango in the five day mandatory championship.