It was a gold rush for Team Nigeria on Sunday at the ongoing 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, after the six Nigerian female wrestlers all won in their various categories.
Mercy Genesis kicked off Nigeria’s dominance, 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.
Ogunsanya pummeled 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.
Before the final bouts, the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, had applauded the “sensational performances” of the Nigerian wrestlers and was confident they would finish on a high.
He said: “I have been very impressed with the way they wrestled, and I think if they continue on that trajectory, Nigeria should be hopeful of many gold medals in the evening.”
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 way he did for the Super Eagles after their second-place finish at the last AFCON tournament.
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