By Akeem Lawal
SIXTEEN athletes will
represent Nigeria at the forth coming 2019 Africa Games billed for Rabat,
Morocco from 19th to 31st August, Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com has been informed.
The list expected to be
released by the Nigeria Wrestling Federation is seven-man short, compared to
the 23 that represented the country at the last edition held in Brazzaville,
Republic of the Congo.
The Technical Director of
the NWF, Damien Ohaike said the list was reduced to accommodate only the
wrestlers in the Olympic Games weight categories.
“The preparation is going
smoothly in Bayelsa and we will leave Bayelsa for Abuja on the 19th.
They have cut our list to Olympic weight
class only and we will be going with six Women, six Freestyle and four
Greco-Roma wrestlers. We will soon make the list available because we are still
considering a lot of things,” Ohaike told Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com.
The reduction in the list of
wrestlers to the continents showpiece will no doubt be a major setback to the
country’s quest for medal haul as Wrestling has been one of the highest medal
winning sports for Nigeria at consecutive Continental Championships and multi-sport
international engagements such as the Africa Games and the Commonwealth Games.
Nigeria won the wrestling
event at the Brazzaville 2015 with 19 medals, including nine gold, five silver
and five bronze medals - comparatively one of the highest medal winning sports
at the Games. Team Nigeria finished overall second with 144 medals (47 gold, 55
silver and 42 bronze) behind winners Egypt who led with 217 medals (85 gold, 64
silver and 68 bronze).
Some of the wrestlers
expected to defend their title at the Africa Games include World wrestling
silver medalist and five-time African champion, Odunayo Adekuoroye, nine-time
Africa Champion and Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Blessing Oborududu, two-time
Commonwealth gold medalist, Aminat Adeniyi; five-time African Champion,
Daniel Amas; two-time Africa champion, Melvin Bibo and two-time Africa
champion, Mercy Genesis and Soso Tamarau.
While three-time African
Champion, John Emmanuel, fast-rising African champion, Sunmisola Balogun and Commonwealth
Games bronze medalist, Bose Samuel will be looking forward to make their debut
at the event, the likes of Commonwealth Games silver medalist, Blessing
Onyebuchi and Hannah Rueben will be hoping to win gold on their second attempt.
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