By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos
Team Nigeria recorded a clean sweep of gold medals on Sunday at the ongoing African Games and the six female wrestlers representing the country all won in their various categories.
Mercy Genesis Miesinnei kick-started the gold medals win after winning Mohamed Nada of Egypt 7-0 in 50kg category thereby winning Nigeria’s first wrestling gold medal.
Christiana Ogunsanya secured the second gold medal for Nigeria in the 53kg women’s wrestling event defeating Nogona Bakayoko of Cote D’Ivoire by 11- 0 pivotal score.
Not yet over for Nigeria, Adekuoroye Odunayo followed up her own victory in the 57kg category defeating Hassowne of Egypt and Kolawole Omolayo also clinched her own gold medal by winning in the 62kg event winning Askar .O of Egypt.
Olympics silver medal champion, Blessing Oburududu and Reuben Hannah Amuchechi added two more gold medals in the 68kg and 76kg categories respectively to confirm Nigeria’s supremacy in female wrestling at the 13th African Games.
Anuoluwapo Opeyori won Nigeria’s first gold medal following a win over his countryman Godwin Olofua in the final of the men’s Badminton Singles.
Nigerian citizens resident in Ghana and Nigeria officials at the event cheered the wrestlers during the tournament chanting, “I love my country”.
The President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Igali Baraladie Daniel applauded the wonderful performance of the Nigerian female wrestlers and was optimistic they would finish high.
“I’ve been very impressed with the way they wrestled and I think if they continue in that trajectory Nigeria should be hopeful of many gold medals in the evening”, Igali was quoted as saying in a press statement issued on Sunday.
Mr. Igali particularly thanked the Bayelsa State Government for always supporting the activities of the Wrestling Federation.
The wrestling boss has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to handsomely reward athletes who made the country proud at the African Games the same way he did for the Super Eagles after their second-place finish at the last AFCON tournament in Cote De I’Voire.
