Wrestling Commonwealth Champion, Mercy Genesis, African Champion, Esther Kolawole, Mercy Adekuoroye and other top ranking Nigeria wrestlers have secured their qualifications for the 2024 African Games to be held in Accra, Ghana and Olympic Qualifiers later in the year in Egypt.
During the national trials for wrestlers at the Wrestling Theatre in Yenagoa, Mercy Genesis from Bayelsa state in the 50kg defeated Peace Paul from Edo with a pinfall while African champion Esther Kolawole overpowered Precious Teibril of Nigerian Army in the 62kg.
Other high profile matches were Ogunsanya Christiana of Ondo humbling Bekefula Tarilyefa from Bayelsa in the 53kg and Mercy Adekuoroye of Ondo beating Favour Opuene from Bayelsa in the 59kg.
Also in the 55kg, Idirisi Adijat from Kano pipped Jumoke Adekoye of Ondo and Bayelsa sensation Mary Adeloola to finish first.
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Similarly, Ebipade Mugaenbola topped her fellow Bayelsa counterpart Temene Deye and Rachesl Felix of Ondo in the 65kg.
Meanwhile, in Greco-Roman, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa, Ebi Akere from Bayelsa and Okuro Augustine of Delta secured first positions in the 87kg, 97kg and 130kg respectively.
In the same vein, Duck Enenibodi from Edo, Paristan Alfred of N.S.C.D.C and Emmanuel Nworie of Delta came tops in the 60kg, 67kg and 77kg respectively.
Reacting to the trials, the President Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Dr Daniel Igali, commended the wrestlers but expressed concerns over lack of camping for the athletes which showed in their performance at the trials.
