Historic Milestone: Nigerian Visually Impaired Women Set for Global Sambo Debut

Two Nigerian visually impaired athletes, Rukayat Taiwo and Elizabeth Aseso, are preparing to become trailblazers for African women at the World SAMBO Cup scheduled for April 11–12, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia.

Both women have earned spots in the blind Sambo competition — Taiwo in the 54kg division and Aseso in the 59kg class — marking a first for African female competitors at this level of the sport.

Sherif Hammed, Vice President of the Nigeria Sambo Association, highlighted how far the country has come since first entering blind Sambo internationally in 2024, expressing confidence that their presence at the event will continue to elevate the sport’s profile.

Taiwo said she feels ready and proud to represent both Nigeria and the African continent on the world stage. Nigeria’s participation builds on earlier breakthroughs in blind Sambo, including the nation’s first African competitor at the 2024 World Cup and the continent’s first blind Sambo medal earned at the 2025 event.

The 2026 World SAMBO Cup will feature three formats of the sport: Sport Sambo, Combat Sambo, and Blind Sambo, with classifications for visually impaired athletes starting April 9.