Six Olympic wrestlers and four officials on Thursday departed Abuja to participate in the Spanish Grand Prix taking place in Madrid from 8-10 July.
The wrestlers have been camped in Abuja for a while and President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali said the competition is part of their preparations towards a successful outing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
He disclosed that two freestyle wrestlers, Amas Daniel and Soso Tamarau will compete on the 9th of July while Odunayo Adekuoroye, Mercy Genesis, Blessing Oborududu and Aminat Adeniyi will compete on the 10th of July. The team is expected back in Nigeria on the 12th of July.
Nigeria will be competing in just seven events at the Rio Olympics and many sport enthusiast believe wrestling is the country’s best hope to win medals.
“We have some good talent on the (wrestling team) for the Olympics ,” Igali who doubles as the Chairman of Nigeria Olympic Technical Committee, hinted recently. “Only Blessing Oborududu is going to her second Olympics; everyone else is going to the Olympics for the first time; that is however not to suggest that we aren’t capable of winning medals; my regret and worry is that if we win a bronze in Rio, it’s because we did not do enough to win the gold.”
