New Wrestling Champs Emerge

Potential wrestling champions and new wrestlers have been discovered at the on-going 17th National Sports Festival, “Garden City Games”.

A board member of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) and chairman, Ondo State Wrestling Association, the Rev’d Willy Akingbohungbe dropped this hint yesterday at the Civic Centre, Port Harcourt – venue of the Greco-Roman style wrestling, female wrestling and free style wrestling (male).

Rev’d Akingbohungbe, who is also a member of Technical Committee of N.W.F and an International Wrestling refree (Fila III refree) said there was an improvement in the game, when compared with the last edition of the festival in Kaduna, noting that “the improvement is much”.

“We have discovered new wrestlers and potential wrestling champions at this 17th National Sports Festival. A lot of development has come to wrestling this time around”, he said.

Rev’d Akingbohungbe who officiated yesterday as the leader of the technical crew at the event said the officiating is balanced and there is some element of improvement there as well.

“My assessment of them is that they are trying more than before because majority of them have traveled out and seen what is going on outside Nigeria”, he said.

He disclosed that the country has about 18 International refrees and majority  of them were participating in the games and serving as guide to local referees.

Akingbohungbe, who was popularly known as (Willy Akins) in his wrestling days said as they round up the event yesterday, he was proud of the wrestlers that took part in the contests as they all proved their worth while commending the officials for unbiased officiating.

“On the technical team’s table here, which is the engine room, we’re impressed with their performance. You know wrestlers, when they push, they can scatter everywhere but you can see everything is going on very peacefully, it’s well-organised, there’s peace and no violence whatsoever. And this is a plus to the technical aspect of the game”, he said.

Justus Awaji