Sports
Igali Targets Eight Olympic Spots In Wrestling
President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Hon. Daniel Igali, target is having between six and eight Nigerian wrestlers qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo starting July 24 and ends August 9.
Only Odunayo Adekuoroye has qualified for the Games courtesy of her bronze medal win at the 2019 World Championships.
To achieve the above objective, Igali plans to give the wrestlers quality preparation towards the qualifying tournament march in Morocco.
Igali, in a statement signed by Emeka Dennar, NWF Media Officer, said: “Our goal this year is to qualify between six and eight athletes for the Olympics.”
“We are hoping that we would have the financial resources to get our athletes prepared enough to get probably our largest team going to the Olympics qualifying tournament in March in El Jadida, Morocco (venue of the Africa/Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament).
“We also have a couple of Olympic preparatory tournaments. We have another Ranking Series tournament in June. Our plan is to have every athlete who qualified for the Olympics to get a minimum of 20 matches before the Olympics proper.”
At the Rio Games, seven wrestlers (five women and two men) represented Nigeria. Nigeria is yet to win an Olympic medal in wrestling.
Igali, however, won gold at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, while fighting for Canada.
However, despite recording some ground-breaking achievements last year, Igali hopes 2020 will be ‘better’ for the sport in the country.
In addition to dominating the continent at the African Championships in Tunisia and the 12th African Games in Morocco in 2019, Team Nigeria grabbed three global laurels. Back-to-back Commonwealth champion Adekuoroye (57kg) won bronze, her third medal at the World Championships in Kazakhstan, while Blessing Onyebuchi (70+) and Mercy Genesis (50kg), both claimed gold and silver medals respectively at the inaugural ANOCA World Beach Games in Doha, Qatar.
Looking ahead to what promises to be a very busy year in wrestling, Igali highlighted some of the competitions that the country’s wrestlers will be taking part in.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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