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By: Peter Akinbo
Commonwealth gold medallist, Josephine Esuku, says she hasn’t fully made up her mind on retiring from Taekwondo following a mixed outing at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Esuku won silver in the U40 Poomsae event and bronze in +17 women’s Poomsae freestyle event at the just-concluded African Games in Accra.
The former African champion told journalists after the end of the Taekwondo event that she would continue to make Nigeria proud whenever she is called upon by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, but she is considering calling an end to her career.
“Nigerians should continue to expect the best from me in subsequent international championships, I have won a lot of laurels for Nigeria at several championships,” she said
“Although, I am considering retiring from taekwondo but if I am called up, I will give my best. I feel very excited and I am extremely grateful to God. I wish I was able to win gold and fly Nigeria’s flag but nevertheless, I am happy to win silver and bronze medals.”
‘Jojo Gold’ told our correspondent on Tuesday that while she is considering retirement, as an athlete, she would always want to push.
“The thing about us athletes is that we always want to push ourselves. I may desire it but when a competition approaches, I just may want to push one more time and it just may go on for another two years, so, for now, I do not know,” she said.
The multiple national champion, who won three gold medals at the 2022 National Sports Festival in Delta, added that not winning a medal at the African Games in Rabat in 2019 spurred her to give her best in Ghana.
“I was gutted and was more determined this time to put in my best and make the country proud,” she said.
“It is time for me to focus on my six-month old baby. I have been away for three months (camping and African Game), I want her to feel my presence now.”