National Open Judo Championships Returns to Umuahia After Years of Inactivity

Posted : 19 October 2026

Expectations are rising ahead of the return of Nigeria’s National Open Senior Judo Championships, scheduled to take place in Umuahia, Abia State, from October 31 to November 5, 2026. The six-day competition will bring together athletes and officials from across the country after years without a championship of similar scale.

The Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) is organising the tournament in partnership with the Abia State Government. The event will take place at Umuahia Township Stadium and is expected to provide a platform for national-level competition, talent discovery and renewed cooperation among stakeholders.

The championship comes at a critical time for Nigerian judo. The sport has experienced internal disputes and administrative challenges over the past year. The federation’s Interim Caretaker Committee, led by Sheriff Hammed, hopes the tournament will help rebuild confidence and restore unity.

Ahead of the event, Hammed praised the National Sports Commission (NSC), particularly its chairman, Shehu Dikko, and Director General, Bukola Olopade, for their efforts to promote stability within the federation.

He explained that the competition would serve a broader purpose beyond winning medals. According to Hammed, the organisers want to bring athletes, officials and other stakeholders together after a difficult period for the sport.

“We need to restore the glory of judo as a peaceful and united sport,” Hammed said. He added that the tournament offers an opportunity to reconnect with judokas who lost interest because of the challenges affecting the sport.

The competition will feature seven weight categories in each division. The men's events are under-60kg, under-66kg, under-73kg, under-81kg, under-90kg, under-100kg and over-100kg.

The women's events will cover under-48kg, under-52kg, under-57kg, under-63kg, under-70kg, under-78kg and over-78kg. The categories will allow athletes across different weight divisions to compete for national honours.

Former African Games champion and Olympian Katherine Ewa has also welcomed the championship's return. She described it as an important development for athletes and the future of judo in Nigeria.

Ewa recalled that the last national competition of comparable scale took place during the tenure of former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu as president of the Nigeria Judo Federation. She also commended the current Abia State administration for supporting the revival of the event.

Ewa noted that financial rewards for athletes would provide additional motivation for established competitors and encourage newcomers to take up the sport.

The championships are expected to strengthen domestic competition, identify emerging talent and create fresh opportunities for Nigerian judokas. Organisers also hope the event will mark a new chapter for the sport by rebuilding relationships across the national judo community.

National Open Judo Championships Returns to Umuahia After Years of Inactivity

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics