Nigeria wrestler Blessing Oborodudu, who settled for a silver medal at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has put her name in the record books as the first Nigerian to win a wrestling medal at the Olympics.
Although Oborodudu fought gallantly, Team USA’s Tamyra Stock-Mensah got the Gold after a 4-1 victory in the women’s 68kg Free Style Wrestling final.
Enroute to Oborodudu’s feat as she won silver, she defeated Azerbaijan’s Ellis Manolova by Technical Superiority (13-2) to qualify for the quarter-final. In the quarter-final, she surmounted a late scare from Megrim Zhumanazarova, winning 3-2, and triumphed over Mongolia’s Battsetseg Soronzonbold to pick a final ticket.
Her silver medal has taken Team Nigeria’s medals at the Tokyo Olympics to two (one Silver and one Bronze) after Ese Brume’s bronze medal finish in the long jump event.
Blessing’s Medal, which is Nigeria’s second medal in Tokyo, has surpassed the records of the last two Olympics (London 2012 and Rio 2016.)
Odunayo Adekuoroye could increase the tally when she begins her quest for a place in history in the wrestling category on Wednesday.
Another Team Nigeria finalist Chukwuebuka Enikwechi is through to the final of Men’s Shot Put, though he came 4th with 21.16cm and picked non automatic qualifying spot for the finals.
Our girls are carrying us