Nigerian wrestlers enjoyed a stellar day on Sunday at the ongoing African Games in Accra, Ghana, as all six women wrestlers won a gold medal in each of their weight classes.
Mercy Genesis began the gold rush for Nigeria defeating Egypt’s Nada Mohamed 7-0 to be crowned champion in the 50kg freestyle event.
She became the first woman to win a gold medal for Nigeria at the 13th African Games and the second Nigerian athlete to strike gold after Anuoluwapo Opeyori was victorious in the men’s badminton singles event earlier in the day.
The gold mining continued as Christiana Ogunsanya cruised to victory in the women’s 53kg event.
The dominant wrestler defeated her Ivorian counterpart, Celine Josee Bakayoko, by technical superiority 11-0 to clinch Nigeria’s second wrestling gold medal.
Three-time Commonwealth champion Odunayo Adekuoroye extended Nigeria’s dominance by making it three gold medals with her triumph in the final of the women’s 57kg category.
She defeated Morocco’s Zainab Hassoune by pinfall 6-0.
The 30-year-old who was very emotional, dedicated the medal to her late mother.
A fourth gold medal was won for Nigeria by Esther Kolawole.
The world Under-23 bronze medalist defeated her opponent in the 62kg category by technical superiority.
Shortly after, Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist Blessing Oborududu claimed the country’s fifth gold medal.
Oborududu defeated Cameroonian, Blandine Nyeh Ngiri by technical superiority 14-4 in the 68kg class.
African Champion, Hannah Reuben crowned the country’s dominant performance on Sunday by defeating Amy Youin of Cote d’Ivoire by technical superiority 10-0 in the 74kg category to win Nigeria’s 6th gold medal in wrestling and 7th overall at the African Games.