By Oluwaseun Oduneye-Ogunwomoju
Lagos – The Bayelsa Government will host Nigeria’s silver medallist at the August 2017 World Wrestling Championship in Paris, France, Odunayo Adekuoroye, the President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel igali, has said.
Adekuoroye is the first woman from Nigeria to march into the gold medal final at the senior Wrestling World Championships held between Aug. 21 and Aug. 26.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adekuoroye narrowly lost to Haruna Okuno of Japan 4-5 in the final of the 55kg women’s freestyle.
She is ranked No. 1 in Africa and had won a gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and a bronze at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in the U.S.
Igali told NAN that he would convince the governor of Bayelsa, seriake Dickson to host the African Champions alongside Adekuoroye.
The 2000 Sydney Olympic gold medalist said: “I had a meeting with his Excellency, Gov. Dickson and he has directed that sometime this week, he wants to receive the wrestling team to the World Championships.
“I will extend it to the medalists at African championships too because they impressed me.
“In the wrestling family, we are one and nobody irrespective of tribe will be treated like an outcast.’’
NAN reports that in April, Dickson sponsored the NWF to the Africa Championships in Marrakech, Morocco where the team won 8 gold medals, 2 silver and 1 bronze.
Dickson also bankrolled the team’s participation in the World Wrestling Championship last month in Paris, France. (NAN)