By Tayo Ogunseye
Organiser of the 12th Zainab Saleh Female Karate Championship, Zainab Saleh, has expressed satisfaction with the impact of the competition, saying it continues to provide a platform for female athletes to improve their technical skills and learn self-defence.
Saleh made this known at the end of the 2-day championship held at the Sports Complex of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where 158 athletes from Delta, Bayelsa, the University of Lagos (UNILAG), WSKF and Good Martial Arts Academy competed in Kumite and Kata across 26 categories, with medals awarded to outstanding performers last Sunday.
She said the smiles on the faces of the athletes and the enthusiasm displayed by referees were indications that the competition was achieving its objectives.
“I am happy with what I have seen. The athletes are happy and smiling, and the referees were also excited. I want to encourage parents to bring their children to participate in this championship,” Saleh said.
The former karate competitor explained that the initiative was not about personal recognition but about creating opportunities for young athletes to develop their abilities and acquire skills that could help them protect themselves in difficult situations.
According to her, karate goes beyond sporting competition, as it equips practitioners with self-defence techniques that can be useful in situations involving domestic violence, rape and other forms of personal danger.
She also highlighted the championship’s contribution to the development of female karate athletes in Nigeria, recalling that four of the five athletes who qualified to represent the country at the World Championship in Egypt in November 2025 were products of the female competition.
She described the achievement as evidence of the championship’s growing impact on the development of karate in the country.
“What more can I say? Four out of the five athletes who qualified for the World Championship in Egypt were females from this championship. That shows that we are achieving something meaningful,” she added.
Saleh challenged men to establish similar platforms for male karate practitioners, noting that the responsibility of developing athletes should not rest on women alone.
She cited the commendation of karate figure Sian Imechete, who reportedly acknowledged her consistency in organising the competition, as further motivation to sustain the initiative.
The organiser, however, disclosed that her long-term ambition was to expand the event into a larger championship covering more categories, provided adequate funding was available.
“For now, this female championship will remain for as long as I live and as long as Almighty Allah gives me the ability to continue,” she said.
Meanwhile, some participants commended Saleh for her consistency in organising the championship but called for the introduction of monetary rewards to provide additional support and motivation for athletes.
