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My experiences as a student actively involved in sports [Part 2]

Pulse blogger Obukohwo Efagene talks about his venture into the world of taekwondo and his undying love for the Korean martial art

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So far in my taekwondo career, I have attended several tournaments across the nation including the National Sports Festival [Eko 2012], Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation Taekwondo Open Championships, PANAMAI Taekwondo Championships, AGOMA Opens and other State and National Taekwondo Federation organized championships.

I have won a few medals so far. Also, I was invited to the national camp at Abuja in 2014 for the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championship but I did not make the final team list.

Obviously, I have been in this game before I got my admission into the college where I study, and as a student actively involved in sports, it hasn’t been easy combining academics with training and then participating in tournaments and so on. I have to study well to make good grades at school and also train hard to be in good form so as to keep myself at the top of my game.

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Some of the benefits of been a student and an athlete in my school for example, is that the school management makes sure there is secured accommodation within the school campus for students in sports. In addition, I get to be an ambassador of the school; representing the school at tournaments such as the Nigeria Polytechnic Games [NIPOGA], which I have participated in twice and I’ve won medals for the school [Bronze medal in Ede 2012 and 1 Gold, 1 Bronze in Bida 2014].

My colleagues and I get to travel to places we’ve never been or probably heard of and may never be but thanks to school sports. We also get to meet other student athletes from other institutions and make new friends as well as learn new things in the process, giving us positive exposure.

Continuous training helps to keep the body and mind fit and ready at all times. The mind aspect helps you to be alert and makes your level of assimilation higher in terms of study. That is why students who engage in active sports do so well in most cases. As for me though, it was not always rosy and fun at all, because I could skip lectures sometimes when I travel for competitions far away, and when I get back, I have to double up so as to meet up with the others.

As a professional athlete, I have to take part in most of these tournaments in order to boost my chances of being called up to the national camp to represent the country. Although the privilege may be there, I had never sort for any special assistance from any school staff/lecturer to make my grades as per been a school sportsman, yet I scaled through most of my courses with good grades by the grace of God.

So far so good, being an athlete as a student has helped me personally in terms of my character, because in the past I hardly socialize. My experiences had taught me and made me realize I can be a motivator and a source of inspiration to other people who are not confident or do not believe in themselves, to help them believe in their dream regardless of what the present circumstance may look like. I am not there yet, but with the help of God I am on the journey towards reaching my goal. I am a step closer to it with each passing day. Keep moving, trust in God and the best will definitely come.

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Written by Obukohwo Efagene

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