Nigerian Wrestlers Shine At Spanish Grand Prix
Nigerian wrestlers put up an impressive performance at the just concluded 2023 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, winning 2 Gold and 1 Bronze medal as part of the Wrestling Federation’s preparations for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
2023 African Silver medallist Esther Kolawole (62kg) fought hard to beat Ashlynn Ortega of USA by 7-0 points in an entertaining final.
Kolawole defeated Marisol Nugent (USA) 10 to 0 points (Technical Superiority) in the quarterfinal afterward overcoming Miki Rowbottom of Canada 7 to 2 points in the semi-final match.
Blessing Oborududu (68kg)
Olympic silver medallist Blessing Oborududu defeated Katerina Lange of USA 10 to 0 points in the 68kg Bronze medal match.
Oborududu, a 13-time African Champion, narrowly lost her quarterfinal match to Olivia Bacco of Canada 3 to 2 points, which put the highly accomplished wrestler in the Repecharge match.
Mercy Genesis (50kg)
In the women’s 50kg final, African champion Mercy Genesis beat Jacqueline Mollocana of Ecuador by 15 to 2 points (Technical Superiority) to claim a Gold medal.
Earlier, Genesis defeated the duo of Erin Golston (USA) and Veronika Rjabolova of North Macedonia 10-0 (Technical Superiority) in the semi-final and quarterfinals, respectively.
In his assessment of the wrestlers, President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) Daniel Igali, lauded the efforts of the trio as he noted that wrestling is turning out to be one of the country’s best hopes to win medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
While insisting there was room for improvement, Igali commended the resilience of Mercy Genesis, Blessing Oborududu and Esther Kolawale, who were earlier involved with Team Nigeria at the 2nd edition of the African Beach Games in Hammamet, Tunisia, where they won three gold medals for the country.
Igali also hinted that the Spanish Grand Prix was a good platform for the athletes to get ready for the world championships coming up in Serbia in September.
He added that up next for the contingents will be to compete in Hungary before returning to Nigeria to compete in the annual Governor Diri National Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa, from August 1st – 8th, 2023.
Chidi Nwoke/Jane Iyabode Aluko.
