Oborududu, Adekuoroye bag gold at Baku 2017

By Akeem Lawal

SEVEN-time Africa champion, Blessing Oborududu and three-time Africa champion, Odun Adekuoroye won gold in the female freestyle wrestling event of the just concluded Baku 2017 4th Islamic Solidarity Games.

The Islamic Solidarity Games is a multinational, multi-sport event that took place in Baku, Azerbaijan from May 12 to 22.

Both Oborududu and Adekuoroye were among the female wresters that won gold to emerge the overall champions at the 2017 Senior African Wrestling championships held in Marrakech, Morocco late last month.

Oborududu, a two time Olympian defeated  five fierce female wrestlers enrout to the final where she overcame Sahin of Turkey by 8-6 points to win gold medal in the 63Kg, while Adekuoroye, also an Olympian, battled three opponents before humiliating Tissina E. of Kazakhstan by 10-0 point in the 55kg final.

Nigeria is placed 17th on the medals table with two gold, three silver and a bronze medal.

The Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) is responsible for the direction and control of the Islamic Solidarity Games.

A total of 56 countries competed in 21 sports disciplines in Baku and Nigeria  was one of the debutants.