Mercy Genesis kick-started the gold medal rush; winning Nigeria’s first wrestling gold medal in the 50kg category
Team Nigeria recorded a clean sweep of gold medals on Sunday at the ongoing African Games after the six female wrestlers representing the country all won in their various categories.
Mercy Genesis kick-started the gold medal rush; winning Nigeria’s first wrestling gold medal in the 50kg category.
Mercy was merciless against Mohamed Nada as she beat the Egyptian 7-0 to claim the gold medal emphatically.
Christiana Ogunsanya followed; winning second gold for Nigeria in the 53kg women’s wrestling event.
Ogunsanya pummelled Nogona Bakayoko of Cote D’Ivoire 11-0 to claim the gold.
Adekuoroye Odunayo followed up her own victory in the 57kg category while Kolawole Omolayo was unstoppable in the 62kg event.
Team Nigeria was not done yet as veterans Blessing Oburududu and Rueben Hannah Amuchechi added two more gold medals in the 68kg and 76kg categories to confirm Nigeria’s dominance in wrestling on the continent.
Confident President
Before the final bouts, the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation Daniel Igali had applauded the sensational performance of the Nigerian wrestlers and was confident they would finish on a high.
“I’ve been very impress with the way they wrestled and I think if they continue in that trajectory Nigeria should be hopeful of many 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.
Already, the wrestling boss has challenged President Bola Tinubu to handsomely reward athletes who make the country proud at the African Games the same for way he did for the Super Eagles after their second-place finish at the last AFCON tournament.