Sports
BYSG Lauds Team Nigeria’s AWC Feat
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has congratulated Team Nigeria for their feat at the just-concluded African Senior, Junior and Cadet Wrestling Championships in Hammamet, Tunisia.
Nigeria came tops at the tournament, winning six gold and four silver medals in the senior category, two gold in the junior category and one gold in beach wrestling.
The team also won three silver and two bronze medals in different categories, as well as clinching the African senior female team title for an unprecedented 12th time.
Olympic silver medalist, Blessing Oborududu, won gold in the 68kg category to emerge 12-time African champion.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, and made available to Tidesports yesterday Diri noted that the team, which had 10 young Bayelsa wrestlers, made the state and the country proud at the championships. He said their performance was a positive manifestation of his administration’s relentless investment in sports and youths of the state.
Diri also stated that his government’s passion to develop the potential of Bayelsa youths through skills acquisition and other human capacity building initiatives had changed the narrative about Bayelsa in the last three years and counting. He urged the youths not to rest on their laurels and continue to do the state and Nigeria proud.
Giving a breakdown of the team’s performance, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports, Daniel Igali, who doubles as President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation, said Governor Diri funded and supported 10 of the 18 wrestlers to the tournament.
Igali explained that Bayelsa wrestlers in the team won three senior gold medals, two junior gold medals, and one beach wrestling gold medal in addition to three senior silver and two senior bronze medals.
He said: “The Bayelsa State government sponsored and supported 10 Bayelsans to this tournament. I acknowledge and appreciate governor Douye Diri for his support to the Nigeria national wrestling team. Without his support, we would not have got these results.
“His penchant for grooming and supporting Bayelsa athletes is manifesting not only in our exploits nationally but also continentally as evidenced by the exploits of our wrestlers at the recently concluded 2023 Senior, Junior and Cadet African Championships in Hammamet, Tunisia.”
In a statement released by the league, the competition is scheduled to take place from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 14, 2026, with six clubs set to battle for the league title at the end of the 2025/26 season.
NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, said the choice of Port Harcourt reflects the Rivers State Government’s continued support for women’s football and its successful hosting of the league’s Annual General Assembly last year.
The Super Six tournament will feature the top three teams from Group A and Group B of the regular season competing in a round-robin format, with each club playing five matches over nine days.
Qualified teams for the competition include defending champions Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, Rivers Angels, Robo Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, and debutants Abia Angels.
The NWFL Premiership has produced four different winners in the last five editions, with Rivers Angels winning in 2021, Bayelsa Queens claiming the title in 2022 and 2025, Delta Queens triumphing in 2023, and Edo Queens emerging champions in 2024.
The league also urged participating clubs to comply with all competition regulations and directives ahead of the championship. The Super Six will determine Nigeria’s representative for the WAFU-B qualifiers for a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League and ultimately the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
Teams are expected to arrive on Friday, June 5, when the draw ceremony and pre-match meeting will also take place. Matchdays are scheduled for June 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, with rest days in between before the tournament concludes with the trophy presentation ceremony.
