The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF)

  • Wrestling Federation fixed January 6 for National TrialsWrestling FederationWrestling Federation fixed January 6 for National Trials

    Wrestling Federation fixed January 6 for National TrialsWrestling FederationWrestling Federation fixed January 6 for National Trials

    The Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) has announced the date for  national trials in selecting the national team for the 2026 calendar year.

    According to a letter issued out  by Oluwasegun Bode Ademisoro, Secretary General of the Federation, the national trials will commence 6th January  at the Indoor Sports Hall, Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State.

    The letter noted that the national trials became imperative after the 4th Governor Douye Diri National Wrestling Championship which is used to rank national team athletes was postponed indefinitely in honour of Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo who died less than 48hrs to the event.

    Stressing that the trials is to ensure fairness in selection, meritocracy, and competitive integrity for the identification of talents to represent Nigeria in the year 2026.

    The Secretary General clarified that only four women categories, such as 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, and 67kg, will participate in the trials.

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    Adding that each weight class will have top four wrestlers based on their performances in major tournaments, such as National Championships and National Sports Festival, among others.

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Wrestling Federation will notify the general public subsequently on the new date of the 4th Governor Douye Diri National Wrestling Championship, which will be used to determine the ranking of other weight classes.

    Invited wrestlers for national trials:

    53 kg Category: Ogunsanya Christiana (Oyo); Ayelon Mary(Bayelsa); Zannu Mausi(Lagos) Ayo Esewi (Edo).

    57kg Category: Bekefula Tarilayefa  (Bayelsa); Jumuoke Adekoye (Ondo); Onize Umman (Rivers);Esosuakpo Faith(Edo).

    62 kg Category: Esther Kolawole ( Rivers);Precious Tiebiri(Delta);Appah Blessing (Nasarawa); Patience Kakan(Bayelsa).

    68 kg Category: Odede Rita( Nasarawa); Joseph Deborah ( Osun);Reuben Hannah(Nigerian Army); Adekuoroye Mercy(Ondo).

  • 2019 African Wrestling Championships: Hope rises as NWF confirmed participation

    The doubt over Nigeria’s participation at the 2019 African Wrestling Championships holding in Tunisia has been laid to rest as the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali has confirmed that the country would be represented at the continental showpiece.

    Prior to yesterday’s confirmation from Igali, there were strong indications that the country would not represented at the African tournament following the unfriendly gesture from the Ministry of Sports.

    But this doubt has been quenched by the efforts of the federation to ensure that a strong team hoist the country’s flag at the tournament which kicks off on April 26 in Hammamet.

    According to Igali, it is certain that Nigeria will compete at the continental championship as efforts are on to purchase flight tickets for the athletes. He however, said that from the initial N320,000 budgeted for the ticket of each of the athlete, the fare has jerked up to N.5m following the late purchase of the tickets.

    Following this development, the NWF boss said that the list would be prune to accommodate the number of athletes that the funds available can catered for at the tournament.

    Also, the names of the wrestlers that will make the trip would be unveiled today by the federation as the team is expected to depart next week to Tunisia for the championship.

    NationSport learnt that Nigeria’s participation becomes necessary as the tournament serves as qualifiers for any team hoping to be part of the 2019 World Championship in Bulgaria comes July.

    Also the ranking points accumulated at the championship would give the wrestlers chance to improve their world rating as the top six ranked wrestlers in each weight category qualify automatically for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

    For now Odunayo Adekuoroye remains the only Nigerian wrestler in top six in any weight category in the world as the Ondo State-born athlete is ranked fourth in the women’s 57kg.

  • NWF hopeful of African Championships after Sports Ministry intervention

    The Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) is hopeful of eventually sending athletes to the 2019 African Senior Wrestling Championships in Tunisia later this month after receiving ‘verbal commitment’ from the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

    The NWF failed to register majority of the 20 athletes it intends to take the continental showpiece in Hammamet due to lack of funds as at 5th March, the deadline for entry into the competition.

    NWF President Hon. Daniel Igali revealed that after getting assurances from the Sports Ministry to sponsor the team to the African Championships, he will seek an extension to the registration deadline from the Tunisian Wrestling Federation.

    “I spoke with the Permanent Secretary of the Sports Ministry (Adesola Olusola) and he made a verbal commitment that the Ministry will sponsor 18 athletes to the competition.

    “The onus now lies on the federation to source for funds to enable us get the licenses of the athletes and their accommodation fees.

    “We are in a very difficult situation right now, but I will try to persuade the Tunisian Wrestling Federation to give us a further 48 hours extension to register our athletes,” Igali disclosed.

    The NWF president also informed that as a result of the stringent financial situation, the NWF will only send 20 athletes to the competition.

    As hosts in 2018, Nigeria paraded 90 athletes at the tournament in Port Harcourt, featuring a wrestler in all the weight classes in the cadet, junior and senior levels.

    Failure to participate in the African Championships which runs from 26th to 31st March will automatically deny Nigeria a chance of featuring at the World Championships in Kazakhstan in September because the tournament in Tunisia serves as a qualifier for the World Champs.

  • Gov. Wike National Wrestling Challenge kicks off with 22 states

    Gov. Wike National Wrestling Challenge kicks off with 22 states

    The maiden edition of Gov. Nyesom Wike National Wrestling Championships started on Sunday with 22 states participating.

    The states are Jigawa, Kano, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Ebonyi, Delta, Edo, Niger, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kogi, Osun, Ondo, Anambra, Enugu, Lagos, Bauchi, Ogun, Sokoto, Katsina and Kebbi.

    Other participants includes the Nigeria Army, Mountain of Fire Ministries Wresting club and the Federal Capital Territory.

    All the participants at the Wike National Wrestling Championships converged on the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt the venue of the five-day competition.

    Daniel Igali, the President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation ( NWF ), told our correspondent that exciting dimension would be introduced in this tournament.

    “Every weight category event in a day will end at the quarter finals so that the remaining semi and final matches will be done the next day.

    “We are no longer finishing all weight categories in a day. I get a lot of questions from people on how all is been done in a day.

    “The essence of this is to make it more interesting and allow spectators to enjoy the games very well,” he said.

    The 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medalist, however, urged wrestling enthusiasts not to miss this one of a kind competition.

    “This competition is entirely different from what we used to have and it’s unique,” said Igali.

    The wranglers at the venue wore determined faces and ready to fight for spaces in the national team ahead of next years African Championships.

    NAN

  • Paris-bound Nigerian wrestlers to leave on Monday

    Paris-bound Nigerian wrestlers to leave on Monday

    Reprieve has finally come the way of the Nigerian contingent to the World Wrestling Championships in Paris, France, who had flight delay as they will now depart on Monday evening aboard Air Ethiopia.

    The contingent had experienced flight delay in the hands of Air Maroc in the early hours of Monday and had to find an alternative.

    The three, according to the President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali, they are to weigh-in for the competition on Tuesday afternoon.

    Igali told NAN on the telephone from Paris that when the wrestlers got to the airport in the early hours of Monday, they were told that Air Maroc had a defective aircraft on Sunday.

    He said that because the aircraft was small, it only picked a few passengers for Sunday, leaving those for 4 a.m. flight on Monday stranded.

    However, in a twist of events, the NWF said it had secured four tickets aboard Ethiopia Airlines aircraft to convey some of the country’s contingent to the championships.

    Igali told NAN on the telephone from Paris that three wrestlers and a coach would now travel on Monday evening.

    “We have been able to get four new tickets on Ethiopia Airlines for them. They should hopefully arrive in Paris by 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

    They will undergo a weight exercise tomorrow compete on Aug. 23.

    NAN reports that six wrestlers, including four females and two males will represent the country at the competition.

    The male wrestlers are Amas Daniel (65kg) and John Emmanuel (70kg), while the female are Blessing Oborududu (63kg), Adekuroye Odunayo (53kg), Mercy Genesis (48kg), and Aminat Adeniyi (58kg).

    The wrestlers are being tutored by the head coach of NWF, Victor Kodei and a female coach, Purity Akuh.

    The competition began on Monday which is for arrivals and end Aug. 26.

  • Nigerian emerges 2nd vice-president United World Wrestling

    Nigeria’s Austin Edeze on Tuesday emerged the 2nd Vice- President of the United World Wrestling (UWW) in El-Jadida, Morocco.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election took place during the African Congress.

    Daniel Igali, the President, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) told NAN on telephone from Morocco that he was excited by the development.

    “I am elated that Edeze the immediate past president of the NWF was re-elected to the executive committee of UWW Africa.

    “Not only that, he was elevated to the position of 2nd Vice-President.

    “It’s important to have different people at strategic positions of leadership at the continental and world levels of every sport.

    “This allows for untapped opportunities to be harnessed,’’said Igali.

    The 2000 Sydney Olympic gold medalist added that the NWF also submitted the bid document to host the 2018 Senior Africa Wrestling Championships.

    “We submitted the bid to UWW Africa president Gouad Meskout.

    “Hopefully before the end of the Africa Wrestling Championships here in Morocco, a decision will be made.

    “Algeria, Tunisia and Nigeria are bidding for the hosting rights for the 2018 Africa Wrestling Championships,’’ the Olympian added.