A taekwondo athlete in Nasarawa State, Maria Raphael, who recently won a silver medal for team Nasarawa at the just concluded Bayelsa Open Taekwondo Championship held between August 21-24, 2022 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State is dead.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO), state Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Eche Amos in a statement said the illustrious athlete was crushed to death by a trailer along UAC road in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
Amos explained that the unfortunate incident occurred when she went to purchase some items from a grocery store this weekend, hours after returning home from the championship in Yenagoa.
The late Maria also won a bronze medal for the team in the 46kg women’s category at the 15th edition of the panamia west African and cottage mills taekwondo championship, held recently in Lagos State.
Also Read: Nasarawa Insecurity: Gov. Sule distributes operational vehicles to security agencies, relevant Govt. agencies
Eche said the deceased was a committed, dedicated and focused athlete, winning medals of different categories for Nasarawa State.
He explained that her demise is an unquantifiable loss to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and Nasarawa State as a whole, adding that her immense contributions will be greatly missed.
He said the ministry has condoled with her immediate family, loved ones, fellow athletes among others and prayed God to grant her soul eternal rest.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
