By NURA GARBA SABON SARA
At the 27th Nigeria University Games (NUGA), which are now being held at the University of Jos, Bayero University, Kano (BUK) has once again proven its athletic prowess. Thanks to the outstanding achievements of its Taekwondo sensations, Shukurat Abdulsalam and Azeezat Ayantola, the institution added another set of medals with one gold and one silver medal to its expanding collection.
In the fiercely contested 46kg female weight category, Shukurat Abdulsalam proved to be in a league of her own, showcasing exceptional agility, discipline, and tactical brilliance throughout her bouts. She opened her campaign in grand style, securing a decisive knockout victory against her opponent from Joseph Tarka University, Makurdi, before following it up with an impressive 2–0 win over Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) in the second round.
Her stellar display not only earned her the admiration of spectators and fellow athletes but also reaffirmed BUK’s dominance in university-level Taekwondo competitions. With her victory, Abdulsalam has strengthened BUK’s position on the NUGA medal table and inspired her teammates to maintain the university’s proud tradition of excellence in sports.
In the decisive third fight, she maintained her dominance with another emphatic 2–0 victory over the University of Ibadan, earning BUK a gold medal in grand style.
Her teammate, Azeezat Ayantola, also put up a stellar performance in the -53kg female category. She defeated the host, University of Jos, 2–0 in her opening fight and went on to outclass the University of Abuja with the same scoreline.
However, despite her spirited effort in the final, she lost 0–2 to Lagos State University, finishing with a well-deserved silver medal.
The Taekwondo triumph marks Bayero University, Kano’s second gold medal at the Games, following Kenneth Zachariah’s historic win in the 1500m race, where he outpaced athletes from over 15 universities.
BUK’s latest success in Taekwondo further cements its position as one of the leading contenders at the 27th NUGA Games, showcasing the university’s growing strength across diverse sporting disciplines.
