Nigeria Wrestling Federation unveils athletes for 2024 Olympics in Paris
The Nigeria Wrestling Federation has revealed the six athletes who will represent the nation at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
The team, which includes five female wrestlers, one male freestyle wrestler, and three coaches, was presented yesterday at a colorful ceremony at the Dynamite Wrestling Gym in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The wrestlers unveiled are Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing Oborodudu (68kg), reigning African champion Odunayo Adekuoroye (57kg), Military World Champion Hannah Reuben (76kg), and reigning African champions and debutants Esther Kolawole (62kg) and Ogunsanya Christinah (53kg). Ashton Mutuwa completes the list in the men’s freestyle wrestling (125kg) category.
The coaching team consists of Victor Kodei, Purity Akuh, and Happiness Burutu.
President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, expressed confidence in the team’s potential performance at the upcoming Olympics. “The Nigeria Wrestling Federation is a very serious federation. The athletes have been in camp training for a couple of weeks now, and in my view, they’re prepared,” Igali stated. “The athletes won’t be going to Paris to participate but to compete, and you know when someone competes, it’s for medals. We are hoping that if we compete very well, the medals will come.”
Bayelsa State Government, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, also bid farewell to the contingent, encouraging them to make Nigerians proud. “Our love for the Olympics today is the reason we are here. So, I enjoin you to make the nation proud at the Games by competing clean and bringing glory back home so we all can celebrate,” Ayawei said.
The athletes and officials are set to depart Nigeria for Spain tomorrow for a pre-Olympic tournament in Madrid before heading to Germany for their final training camp ahead of the Games.
