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By: Abiodun Adewale.
Nigeria continued its dominance in women’s freestyle wrestling in Africa by emerging top of the women’s category for the 12th time with 230 points at the 38th African Wrestling Championships in Hammamet, Tunisia, The PUNCH reports.
Team Nigeria delivered six gold and four silver medals to reclaim the women’s title after losing it to Tunisia last year.
Blessing Oborududu won her 12th title in the 68kg just as Ebi Biogos (72kg), Mercy Adekuoroye (57kg), Jumoke Adekoye (55kg), Christianah Ogunsanya (53kg) and Mercy Genesis (50kg) all won gold medals as well.
Hannah Reuben (76kg), Ebipatei Mughenbofa (65kg), Esther Kolawole (62kg) and Patience Opuene (59kg) all claimed silver medals.
President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, lauded the wrestlers for shouldering the pride of the country.
“It’s been an amazing tournament. The girls wrestled like true African champions,” Igali told our correspondent.
“What’s more satisfying is that, last year – a year after we won the silver medal at the Olympics, we came to Tunisia here for the African Championships and we did not have enough money to come with 10 female athletes. And you must remember that we have been 11 times African champions as a team, so Tunisia beat us by five points to emerge champions for the first time in 11 years.
“So this year, we were able to come with a full team of 10 female athletes and we won the title by quite a margin.
“I really want to appreciate the governor and the deputy governor of Bayelsa state as well as the federal government through the sports minister for their support.”