imported>Jevansen: Moving from Category:Competitors at the 2011 All-Africa Games to Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2011 All-Africa Games using Cat-a-lot

2025-06-16T04:45:36Z

Moving from Category:Competitors at the 2011 All-Africa Games to Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2011 All-Africa Games using Cat-a-lot

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{{short description|Nigerian taekwondo practitioner}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{MedalTableTop}}
{{MedalCountry | {{Flagu|Nigeria}} }}
{{MedalSport | Men's [[taekwondo]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|Olympics}}
{{MedalBronze| [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]] | [[Taekwondo at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's +80 kg|+80kg]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[All-Africa Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2007 All-Africa Games|2007 Algiers]] | +80kg}}
{{MedalSilver| [[2011 All-Africa Games|2011 Maputo]] | +80kg}}
{{MedalBronze| [[2003 All-Africa Games|2003 Abuja]] | +80kg}}
{{MedalBottom}}

'''Chika Yagazie Chukwumerije''' (born 30 December 1983) is a male [[taekwondo]] practitioner from Nigeria. The son of Nigerian politician [[Uche Chukwumerije]], Chika first drew attention in 2003 during the qualifiers for the [[2003 All-Africa Games]], where he eventually won a bronze medal in the Heavyweight Male category. He qualified for the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in Athens, but lost his first bout to [[Pascal Gentil]], the eventual bronze medal winner. Nevertheless, after a period of intensive training that was funded by his father, he became one of Nigeria's best chances for a medal at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing. He won a gold medal at the [[2007 All-Africa Games]] in the +80 kg class and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games soon after. Although he lost to eventual silver-medal winner [[Alexandros Nikolaidis]] in the semifinals of the [[Taekwondo at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's +80 kg|+80kg]] event, he was entered into the [[repechage]] round of the tournament. Here, after defeating Akmal Irgashev of Uzbekistan he claimed a bronze medal in the event, Nigeria's third medal of the tournament. Four years later he competed at the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], but did not make it past his first bout.

==Early life==
Chukwumerije was born on 30 December 1983 in Nigeria.<ref name="SportsReference">{{cite web|last = Gjerde|first = Arild|author2=Jeroen Heijmans |author3=Bill Mallon |author4=Hilary Evans |title = Chika Chukwumerije Biography and Olympic Results|work=Olympics|publisher=Sports Reference.com|date = 2012|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/chika-chukwumerije-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418064842/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/chika-chukwumerije-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2020-04-18|accessdate = 2012-10-02}}</ref> His father, [[Uche Chukwumerije]], was a national senator and [[Federal Ministries of Nigeria|Information Minister]] of Nigeria.<ref name="Punch">{{cite web|last = Salami|first = Adekunle|title = Chukwumerije steps out|publisher = Punch|date = 2008-08-23|url = http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200808231462675|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Chika had his primary education at St. Jude's Private School in Festac Town, Lagos and received his undergraduate degree in [[mechanical engineering]] from the [[Federal University of Technology Owerri]] (FUTO) in Nigeria in 2005.<ref name="Dreams">{{cite news|title = Nigeria: Chukwumerije Dreams Olympic Gold|publisher=allAfrica.com|date = 2007-09-27|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200709280439.html|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> During this time he competed in taekwondo at three University Games held by the [[Nigerian University Games Association]], winning bronze in 2000 and gold in 2002 and 2004. He first became a national champion in 2002 and held the title through 2011, undefeated in nine years.<ref name="Profile">{{cite web|title = CEO/FOUNDER PROFILE|work = About CCSF|publisher = Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation|date = 2012|url = http://ccsf-ng.org/?page_id=36|accessdate = 2012-10-03|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120508050915/http://ccsf-ng.org/?page_id=36|archive-date = 8 May 2012|url-status = dead}}</ref>

==International career==
Chukwumerije first garnered attention while training for the [[2003 All-Africa Games]] that were held in [[Abuja]], Nigeria. During the qualifications, he and partner [[Friday Dirisu]] fought hard against [[Lucky Ojemudia]] and [[Micheal Obiora]] to win the two spots in their weight categories.<ref name="Library">{{cite news|last = Ajayi|first = Boye|title = Chukumerijie's Son Causes Ripples in Camp|work=THISDAYSports|publisher=Asia Africa Intelligence Wire|date = 2004-07-23}}</ref> He won a bronze medal in the Heavyweight Male category, along with [[Ngala Munayi]] of Kenya.<ref name="2003Results">{{cite web|title = 8th AFRICAN TAEKWONDO CHAMPIONSHIPS|publisher = Mudokwan|date = October 2003|url = http://www.mudokwan.at/mdk/truthpages/africa8.htm|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706093555/http://www.mudokwan.at/mdk/truthpages/africa8.htm|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2011-07-06|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref>

Chukwumerije was chosen for the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in Athens at the Olympic qualifiers in [[Cairo]], Egypt in late January 2004.<ref name="Cairo">{{cite news|last = Boye|first = Ajayi|title = Athens: TAN Picks Four for Cairo Qualifier|publisher = THISDAYSports|date = 2004-01-16|url = http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2004/01/18/20040118spo07.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040317034040/http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2004/01/18/20040118spo07.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2004-03-17|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> He came in second in the regional qualifications, behind only [[Abdelkader Zrouri]] of Morocco.<ref name="Qualify">{{cite web|title = RESULTS 2002–2004|publisher = WTF OLYMPIC TAEKWONDO|date = 2004|url = http://www.taekwondoplayers.20m.com/shopping_page.html|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> He finished in 11th place in the [[Taekwondo at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's +80 kg|men's +80 kg]] event after failing to advance beyond the preliminary round.<ref name="SportsReference"/> He was defeated by [[Pascal Gentil]] of France, the eventual bronze medalist in the event.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|title = Results – Taekwondo : over 80 kg|work=Olympics 2004|publisher=BBC |date = 2004-08-12|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/martial_arts/results/3534268.stm|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> Despite this, he was considered by several sources to be one of Nigeria's best medal prospects at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing, citing the amount of training he had undertaken and the experience that he had gained since the last Olympics.<ref name="Punch"/><ref name="Grandmaster">{{cite news|last = Lanipekun|first = Fabio|title = Beijing Olympics: Nigeria's realistic prospects (III)|publisher=The Sunday Tribune|date = 2008-08-10}}</ref><ref name="Ligne">{{cite news|title = Olympics: Senator Chukwumerije's son can give Nigeria elusive gold|work = International News|publisher = Afrique en ligne|date = 2008-08-21|url = http://www.afriquenligne.fr/olympics:-senator-chukwumerije's-son-can-give-nigeria-elusive-gold-2008082111186.html|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}{{dead link|date = August 2017|bot = InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted = yes}}</ref><ref name="Key">{{cite news|last = Solaja|first = Femi|title = Nigeria: Taekwondo – Chukwumerije Holds the Key|publisher=allAfrica.com|date = 2008-07-24|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200807240204.html|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> His father had paid for him, as well as fellow taekwondo practitioner [[Isa Adamu]], to be trained in the United States and Europe and compete globally. This financial backing was unavailable to most other Nigerian athletes.<ref name="Punch"/><ref name="Key"/> Chukwumerije spent six weeks training in the United States, although the American [[diplomatic mission|embassy]] refused to grant his training partner Adamu a [[visa (document)|visa]]. They did, however, train together in [[Manchester]] and worked with coach [[Osita A. Green]]. They also trained in Taiwan and Germany.<ref name="Key"/>

At the [[2007 All-Africa Games]] in [[Algiers]], Algeria, both Chukwumerije and Adamu won gold medals in taekwondo, the former in the +80 kg class. They then headed to [[Tripoli, Libya]], where they earned their qualification tickets for the Beijing Olympics.<ref name="Ticket">{{cite news|last = Solaja|first = Femi|title = Nigeria: Chukwumerije Bags Taekwondo Ticket|publisher=allAfrica.com|date = 2007-11-06|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200711060769.html|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> Despite having lauded Nigerian athletes in the past,<ref name="Dreams"/> two days before his event, he proclaimed his "disappointment"<ref name="Ligne"/> at the performance of the Nigerian national team who, at that point, had not won a single medal at the games. He did, however, praise the [[Nigeria national football team]],<ref name="Ligne"/> who ended up in second place in the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|men's tournament]].<ref name="Football">{{cite news|title = Argentina wins gold again in Men's Football|work = Football|publisher = The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games|date = 2008-08-23|url = http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/football/n214577861.shtml|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080824143246/http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/football/n214577861.shtml|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2008-08-24|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> The next day, however, Nigeria won bronze medals in the [[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metres relay|women's 4x100 metre relay]]<ref name="4x100">{{cite news|title = Jamaica stumbles, Russia sprints to Women's 4 x 100m victory|work = Athletics|publisher = The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games|date = 2008-08-22|url = http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/athletics/n214575727.shtml|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080823195359/http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/athletics/n214575727.shtml|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2008-08-23|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> and the [[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's long jump|women's long jump]].<ref name="LongJump">{{cite news|title = Women's Long Jump: Maggi ends Lebedeva's reign|work = Athletics|publisher = The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games|date = 2008-08-22|url = http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/athletics/n214575494.shtml|accessdate = 2008-08-23|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080901183149/http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/athletics/n214575494.shtml |archivedate=September 1, 2008 }}</ref>

Competing in the [[Taekwondo at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's +80 kg|men's +80kg]] event, Chukwumerije defeated Vietnam's [[Nguyen Van Hung (martial artist)|Nguyen Van Hung]] in the preliminary rounds.<ref name="VanHung">{{cite web|title = Nguyen Van Hung|work = Athlete Biography|publisher = The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games|date = 2008-08-23|url = http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/9/240479.shtml|accessdate = 2008-08-23|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813151935/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/9/240479.shtml|archivedate=2008-08-13}}</ref> He defeated Mali's [[Daba Modibo Keïta]] in the quarterfinals, but lost to Greece's [[Alexandros Nikolaidis]], the eventual silver medal winner in the event. In the [[repechage]], he defeated [[Akmal Irgashev]] of Uzbekistan to claim one of two bronze medals. The other went to [[Arman Chilmanov]] of Kazakhstan.<ref name="Results">{{cite news|title = Taekwondo Day 4 Review: Debutants crowned in an eventful day|work = Taekwondo|publisher = The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games|date = 2008-08-23|url = http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/taekwondo/n214580486.shtml|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080824143108/http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/taekwondo/n214580486.shtml|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2008-08-24|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref> In doing so, he earned an incentive offered by [[LG Electronics]], who offered to furnish the home of any Nigerian Olympic competitor who won a medal.<ref name="LG">{{cite news|title = Nigeria: Chukwumerije Welcomes LG Challenge|publisher = allAfrica.com|date = 2007-11-20|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200711201096.html|accessdate = 2008-08-23}}</ref>

An injury cost Chukwumerije his title at the [[2011 All-Africa Games]] in [[Maputo]], [[Mozambique]], where he settled for silver in the men's heavyweight category. He recovered from this problem,<ref name="Injury">{{cite news|title = Nigeria: London 2012 - Chukwumerije Out of Taekwondo|newspaper = This Day Live|publisher = allAfrica.com|date = 2012-08-11|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/201208120301.html|accessdate = 2012-10-03}}</ref> but then sustained two fractures to his foot while qualifying for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="Fracture">{{cite news|last = Adewale|first = Kunle|title = Chukwumerije Yet to Decide on Rio 2016 Olympics|newspaper = This Day Live|publisher = Leaders & Company Limited|date = 2012-08-29|url = http://allafrica.com/stories/201208290440.html|accessdate = 2017-04-30}}</ref> At the London Games he participated in the [[Taekwondo at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's +80 kg|men's +80kg division]], but lost his first bout against [[Robelis Despaigne]] of Cuba, an eventual bronze medalist.<ref name="SportsReference"/> He was also team captain at the 2014 Commonwealth taekwondo championships, where he won a silver medal after pulling out of the final against [[Mahama Cho]] of Great Britain due to injury.<ref name="Commonwealth2014">{{cite news|title = Nigeria: Taekwondo Federation Hails Nigeria's Commonwealth Outing|newspaper = [[The Guardian (Nigeria)|The Guardian]]|location = Nigeria|date = 19 November 2014|url = https://allafrica.com/stories/201411200652.html|access-date = 13 December 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 2007 Chukwumerije was a contestant on [[Survivor Africa: Panama]] and was the fifth person to be voted out. In September 2009 he entered the [[University of Liverpool]] for a one-year degree program in Operations and Supply Chain Management and graduated in 2010 with a Master of Science degree. During his time there he was active in the institution's sporting culture and participated in volleyball, basketball, and taekwondo.<ref name="Profile"/> In 2009 Chukwumerije was inducted into the World's Taekwondo Hall of Fame in [[New Jersey]] as an "Outstanding Male African Olympic Player".<ref name="Fame">{{cite news|title = Another Feather For A Humble Olympian - Chika Chukwumerije|newspaper = [[The Guardian (Nigeria)|The Guardian]]|date = 2009}}</ref> In October 2012 Nigeria hosted the first Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation international taekwondo championship to further the foundation's mission of producing world-class taekwondo practitioners from West Africa by combating "the lack of constant exposure to world class tournaments, training camps, equipment and training methodologies".<ref name="CCSF">{{cite news|last = Maduewesi|first = Chris|title = Chika Chukwumerije opens Taekwondo championship|publisher = Allsports Nigeria|date = 2012-10-01|url = http://allsports.com.ng/2012/10/01/chika-chukwumerije-opens-taekwondo-championship/|accessdate = 2012-10-03|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121003010135/http://allsports.com.ng/2012/10/01/chika-chukwumerije-opens-taekwondo-championship/|archivedate = 3 October 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chukwumerije, Chika}}
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Nigerian male taekwondo practitioners]]
[[Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic taekwondo practitioners for Nigeria]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Nigeria]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in taekwondo]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Liverpool]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Federal University of Technology Owerri alumni]]
[[Category:African Games gold medalists in taekwondo]]
[[Category:African Games silver medalists in taekwondo]]
[[Category:African Games bronze medalists in taekwondo]]
[[Category:African Games gold medalists for Nigeria]]
[[Category:African Games silver medalists for Nigeria]]
[[Category:African Games bronze medalists for Nigeria]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 2003 All-Africa Games]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 2007 All-Africa Games]]
[[Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2011 All-Africa Games]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:21st-century Nigerian sportsmen]]

Chika Chukwumerije - Revision history

imported>Jevansen: Moving from Category:Competitors at the 2011 All-Africa Games to Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2011 All-Africa Games using Cat-a-lot