By The Chief Coach of Lagos Taekwondo Team, Ms. Peace Okunowo, has cleared the air as regards to the participation of a heavily pregnant athlete, Aminat Idris, in the ongoing National Sports Festival.
Aminat, who BlackBox Nigeria gathered is 8 months pregnant, won gold in the Mixed Poomsae category in Taekwondo alongside her male counterpart, Arowora Roqeeb. This was Team Lagos’ first gold at Edo 2020.
Okunowo, in an interview with P.M. EXPRESS, explained what informed the decision of the coaching crew to feature Aminat in the tournament — despite her condition.
“Aminat was not pregnant when she was registered for the event prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 when the festival was first postponed last year. So in-between then and now she got pregnant. As a responsible organisation, we cannot prevent her from meeting up with her domestic obligations, and a a married woman, we don’t expect her not to get her home settled,” the Chief Coach explained.
“So when the festival new date was fixed and the government was serious about holding the games, we asked her about her intention of going ahead, she was so excited. She expressed her determination to represent Lagos even in her conditions.
“Because she had been training hard, she informed us about her fitness both medically and physically. We pushed her through and it was a thing of joy that she eventually won three medals – gold, silver and bronze.”
She stated that the taekwondo coaching team were told to sign an undertaking that they would be liable for anything that happened to Aminat.
Okunowo added: “The issue is that the event which she competed in especially the one she won gold was Poomase, which is a non contact activity in taekwondo. This is the practice all over the world.
“It is a form and pattern activity. She had no physical contact with any athlete on the floor. She just climbed the mat and demonstrated what she has to do.
She, however, clarified that the game had zero risk on Aminat’s health, adding that her participation turned out glorious for herself and Team Lagos.
