Adekuoroye leads Team Nigeria to World Wrestling Championship in Budapest

Odunayo Adekuoroye

• Fund limits number of participation, says Igali
World silver medalist, Odunayo Adekuoroye, Commonwealth gold medalists, Blessing Oborodudu and Aminat Adeniyi, and medal hopeful, Blessing Onyebuchi are the four female athletes chosen to take part in this year’s World Wrestling Championship holding in Budapest, Hungary between October 20 and 28.

President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, told The Guardian yesterday that he would leave the country for Budapest today for the Congress on Friday, which precedes the world meet.

“Odunayo Adekuoroye, Blessing Oborodudu, Aminat Adeniyi and Blessing Oyebuchi are the only four female wrestlers that will be traveling to Budapest, Hungary on October 20, to represent the country at the World Wrestling Championship.

“We would have loved to go to Budapest with 15 athletes if we had the funds. They are the ones we are sure have the best chance of picking medals because they are our best athletes,” he said.

The former Olympics and world champion added that the period spent preparing for the championship was the longest time the athletes ever stayed in the camp before any competition.

“The wrestlers have been in the camp training rigorously in preparation for the championship for almost five weeks now in Bayelsa. It is one of the longest times they ever spent training for the world championship,” he stated.

Adekuoroye is the only Nigerian athlete to have won medals at the world championship, as she has both the bronze and silver medals in her kitty.