Nigerian Photos journalist, Kolade Bright made it a hat-trick at the National Sports Festival when he claimed a gold medal at the ongoing 21st National Sports Festival, Asaba Delta State.
The Kogi born en route to his golden moment defeated Chukwudi of Team Rivers, Victor of Team Zamfara, Abba from Kano state in an all-conquering fashion, and in the final, Udonbong of Team Akwa Ibom (2-0,2-0,2-1,2-0) best of three sets.
The Kaduna-based Mass Communication graduate represented Delta State at the festival and didn’t betray the trust placed in him to do them proud.
Bright Paul ‘PBKNATION’ Kolade registered his delight at what he called the result of hard work and faith.
“This is a good way to continue my golden career. It is not the first gold, but for the national Sports Festival, it’s a special one for me.”
At a masters course, Lagos, November 2022
“What’s next for me now is the Olympics and Commonwealth and with further hard work, I have faith that I can achieve this.”
The Mass Communication graduate has to his name, an intimidating CV in the world of Taekwondo.
Kolade at the 21st National Sports Festival. Photo: Dare Kuti
Bright Kolade Career highlights.
While a student, the then-burgeoning fighter claimed Bronze {kyorugi} at the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) in 2013. The same year, he went international and laid claim to a Bronze medal in {kyorugi} at the 2013 Panama International Open Taekwondo Championships. Returning to the country, the same year, he demonstrated a new gathered experience and picked the Gold medal at the {kyorugi} Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABUZ) Taekwondo Monthly Championships.
Increasing in strength, Bright clinched Bronze {kyorugi} at the Lagos State International Open Taekwondo Championships in 2014. In the same competition, Kolade took Gold in {kyorugi}. For the rest of 2014, Bright racked up Gold {kyorugi} in the Panama International Open Taekwondo Championships, Ondo State, added another Gold {kyorugi} in the Nigerian Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA), Ede Osun State, claimed Gold {kyorugi} at Korean Ambassadors Cup (KAC) Lagos State, another Gold {kyorugi} Nigerian Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) Bida, Niger State and at the Eko Taekwondo Open championship respectively.
In 2015, three more Gold and one silver medal were added to his golden cabinet. Gold {kyorugi} at the West African Polytechnic, Game (WAPOGA) in Ghana, Gold {kyorugi} at the Korean Ambassadors Cup Taekwondo Championships; Gold {kyorugi} at the COTACH, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-ife Taekwondo and Silver {kyorugi} at the Inspector General of Police Cup (IG).
Kolade started 2016 on a Bronze level in {kyorugi} COTACH, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile- Ife but went bigger with Silver (kyorugi) at the 14th Panama Open (Republic of Benin) the same year. The bible lover ended the year on his trademarked golden dominance with a gold {kyorugi} at the 2016 Agoma Opens Taekwondo Festival and another Gold {kyorugi} at the Invitational Taekwondo Championships(ITC).
In 2017, the champion got only one Gold (Kyorugi) which he recorded at the Agoma Opens Taekwondo Festival.
Kolade nicked Gold in Kyorugi at the 2018 National Sports Festival, Abuja. The same year, he also made the podium in the Kyorugi Alfaga Coupe International Championships where he claimed Bronze
At the 2019 Nigeria Taekwondo Open Championship International G-1, his name was written in Gold in Kyorugi Taekwondo.
In his quest to become the real deal in Taekwondo, Kolade made himself available for the WTF Taekwondo New Competition Rules Seminar in 2017 where he also took part in the Taekwondo World Championships (WTF), Muju, South Korea in the same year.
Bright Kolade participated at the 18TH National Sports Festival, Eko 2012, and went on to take part in the All African Games Championships, Congo Brazaville.
At the 19th National Sports Festival in Abuja, 2018, the jovially intelligent fighter picked his first gold in a champion style. He cemented his place in the heart of Taekwondo’s winners in Edo at the 20th National Sports Festival with another gold. One year and some months later, it became brighter and clearer that Kolade is now a lord in Taekwondo as he embarrassed all his opponents to pick the gold medal again at the 21st National Sports Festival – making it three times in a row.
Before the 21st National Sports Festival in Asaba, the Kogi boy took part in the 2022 National trials, in Abuja and went home with the Silver medal.
Internationally, the multi-gold medalist has also competed at the top levels ranging from the 2019 All African Games in Morocco, the 2019 President Cup, in Morocco, and the 2022 African Games, in Rwanda.
In planning for an athlete’s afterlife, Kolade Bright took a step in 2019 to enroll in the World Taekwondo Coaching Course and excellently completed the course to become a certified Taekwondo coach. Not relying solely on that, the 34-year-old who is open to sponsorship and partnership by government and private entities will shortly be embarking on international advanced courses in Taekwondo.
Kolade also attended another Masters course in Taekwondo in November 2022 at Lagos and he is expectant of his result
Greater heights I pray