Lira Open to showcase rising Taekwondo talent

LIRA - Fifteen clubs, with over 200 participants, will converge in Lira this Saturday and Sunday for the Lira Open Taekwondo Championship.

The two-day tournament aims to promote the sport and assist the management, led by Marvin Baryaruha, in identifying talent within the region.

According to Uganda Taekwondo Federation president Marvin Baryaruha, the Lira tournament marks the beginning of a series of regional competitions.

“We are ending this Kampala syndrome by showing the public that Taekwondo is a big sport,” Baryaruha noted.

“We have 15 clubs that have already confirmed participation, but more are expected to register on the tournament day because we want maximum participation,” he added.

Baryaruha also emphasised that hosting the tournament in Lira is part of a broader strategy to expand the sport in line with the 2023 Sports Act requirements.

Last year, the Uganda Taekwondo Federation ramped up efforts to organise high-profile competitions, including the Embassy Championship and the East Africa Championship.

Clubs expected to participate in the weekend tournament include Prisons, Police, Red Scorpion, Caltel, Lee, Nwoya, Ndejje University, Kampala, Tigerhoods, Gulu University, Friends, Makerere University, Mbale, and Jinja.