Nigeria will field four athletes at the 50th World SAMBO Championships scheduled between Nov. 6 to Nov. 8 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The country will compete in the event as it continues to build its reputation in one of the world’s fastest-growing combat sports.
The Nigerian team comprises Amara Udeze in the 59kg category, Ogechi Udeze in the 50kg division, heavyweight athlete Akintunde Sherifat and Rukayat Sulieman, who will compete in Blind SAMBO.
The Sambo Association of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos said three of the athletes secured sponsorship from sports enthusiast and promoter Osagie Omoregbe, popularly known as BIGJUDO.
The sponsorship would facilitate their participation in the competition.
The team is expected to depart Nigeria this week ahead of the championships.
The three-day competition would take place at the Game Sports Arena in Tashkent’s Olympic Village.
It is expected to attract athletes from more than 90 countries, who would compete in Sport SAMBO, Combat SAMBO and Blind SAMBO.
A total of 33 sets of medals would be contested for at the championships.
A major highlight would be the historic introduction of women’s Blind SAMBO to the World Championships programme.
The competition would feature SVI1 athletes, representing totally blind competitors, in a move to promote greater inclusion in the sport.
International SAMBO Federation (FIAS) President, Vasily Shestakov, described the development as a major milestone in the federation’s efforts to expand opportunities for the blind and visually impaired athletes.
“For the first time in FIAS history, the World Championships programme will include Blind SAMBO competitions among women,” Shestakov said.
He said that the development underlined the federation’s commitment to inclusion and the global growth of SAMBO.
The golden jubilee edition is also expected to attract iconic figures in the sport, including world ambassadors Fedor Emelianenko and Islam Makhachev.
They are scheduled to participate in the opening ceremony and other related activities.
The competitors will share a prize fund of 363,000 dollars.
Gold medallists will receive 4,000 dollars, silver medallists 3,000 dollars and bronze winners 2,000 dollars.
Nigeria heads into the tournament encouraged by impressive performances on the continental and global stages, particularly in Blind SAMBO.
At the 2025 World SAMBO Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Sodiq Ajibade made history by winning bronze in the men’s up-to-98 kg Blind SAMBO category.
He became the first African blind sambist to win a medal at the World Championships.
Sulieman further raised Nigeria’s profile later that year by winning gold at the World SAMBO Cup in Yerevan, Armenia.
The achievement made her the first female blind sambist in the world to win gold at a major international competition organised by FIAS.
She accomplished the feat on her debut appearance.
Nigeria’s progress continued in April 2026 when Rukayat Taiwo and Elizabeth Aseso became the first African women to compete in Blind SAMBO at a world-level title event.
They competed in the 54kg and 59kg categories, respectively, at the World SAMBO Cup in Yerevan.
Coach Sherifat Akintunde guided the athletes at the competition.
With a mix of experienced competitors and pioneering Blind SAMBO athletes, Nigeria hopes to extend its growing success and challenge for honours.
The world’s best sambists would converge on Tashkent for the landmark 50th World Championships.
