Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) president, Honourable Daniel Igali has rate the country’s female grapplers with better opportunities of excelling at the African championship in Tunisia, ahead of their male teammates, sports247.ng reports.
Igali stated as much ahead of the commencement of the contests on Saturday, as he says the NWF registered a full squad of female wrestlers, while the males grapplers will only compete in half of the events on offer at the championship in Hammamet, Tunisia.
Nigeria’s female contingent has eight-time African champion, Blessing Oborududu, as well as two Commonwealth Games gold medalists in Odunayo Adekuoroye and Aminat Adeniyi.
Others are four African champions – Mercy Genesis, Sunmisola Balogun, Ifeoma Nwoye and Hannah Reuben – as well as Rosemary Nweke, Blessing Onyebuchi and Esther Kolawole, with the coach, Purity Akuh.
The male team has African champions Amas Daniel, Agiomor Ekerekeme and Emmanuel John as well as Welson Ebikewenimo, Emmanuel Nworie and Melvin Bibo, all coached by Victor Kodei.
While the female wrestlers will begin competing on Saturday, the male grapplers will oline out on Sunday, at the 2019 championship that began on Tuesday and will climax this Sunday.
Adekuoroye, who is ranked fourth in the world, will compete in the 57kg, while Adeniyi will compete in the 62kg class, both for women.
Other female categories are Genesis (50kg), Nweke (53kg), Kolawole (55kg), Nwoye (59kg), Balogun (65kg), Reuben (72kg) and Onyebuchi (76kg), while the men are Ebikewenimo (57kg), Daniel (65kg), Nworie (71kg), Emmanuel (74kg), Ekerekeme (79kg) and Bibo (86kg).
Igali stated: “We are the defending champion in the female event while we are also the champion in the men’s event as we topped Egypt by three points at the last edition in Port Harcourt.
“I am sure we can retain our title in the female team but I know it is going to be tough particularly with the host team, Tunisia because they are also in good shape for now.”
