Seven times African Champion, Blessing Oborududu, World Silver medalist, Odunayo Adekuroroye and Olympian, Soso Tamara are amongst the 90-man team to represent Nigeria at the African Wrestling Championships in Port Harcourt from February 7th to 11th, 2018.
The list is made up of 30 Cadet, 30 Junior and 30 senior wrestlers. Blessing Oborududu will be seeking to make it her eight African titles on the continent; while Adekuoroye aims to maintain her dominance at the African Championships in the 57kg weight categories.
After an unimpressive outing at the Commonwealth Championships in South Africa last year, Soso Tamara faces a stiff opposition from Martin Erasmus in the 97kg weight class. Meanwhile, Melvin Bibo may face his nemesis Augusto Medina in the 86kg but there is information the Guinea-Bissau may be missing in action next month.
Breaking into limelight in 2017, African John Ogbonnaya have to prove doubters wrong by maintaining his momentum when the championships begin
National Youth Games Champion, Esther Kolawale who is also a cadet champion stands a chance of cementing her name in the wrestling world after an exciting 2017 in Nigeria
In the Greco-Roman event; the names on the lips of Nigerians are Emmanuel Nworie (72kg) and Tochukwu Okeke (82kg) in the senior category as well as Pakistan Alfred (67kg) in the junior category. Nworie in 2015 won Nigeria her first gold medal at the All African Games in Congo but could not scale through the group stages at the 2016 African Championships.
For Okeke the Nigeria Army personnel, who broke into the ranks in 2015 defeating Perefaghe Kiribein in the finals, missed the trip to the All African Games, but got the country’s only Greco-Roman bronze medal at last year’s African tourney.
Below is the full list:
Freestyle (Senior Female):
Mercy Genesis (50kg), Bose Samuel (53kg), Ifeoma Nwoye (55kg), Odunayo Adekuoroye (57kg), Bisola Makanjuola (59kg), Aminat Adeniyi (62kg), Hannah Reuben (65kg), Blessing Oborodudu (68kg), Winnie Gofit (72kg) and Blessing Onyebuchi (76kg)
Freestyle (Senior Male)
Welson Ebikewenimo (57kg), Victor Firstman (61kg), Amas Daniel (65kg), John Ogbonnaya (70kg), Amos Assizecourt (74kg), Ekerekeme Agiomor (79kg), Melvin Bibo (86kg), Robert Daufa (92kg), Soso Tamara (97kg) and Sinivie Boltic (125kg)
FREESTYLE (Junior Female)
Gloria Ojei (50kg), Gloria Ondeweraowei (53kg), Ozioma Joseph (55kg), Comfort Stephen (57kg), Nkechi Dimejesi (59kg), Precious Tiebri (62kg), Keke Yanyagbiri (65kg), Ebi Biogos (69kg), Courage Mango (73kg) and Queen James (76kg)
Freestyle (Junior Male)
Richard Seitoakumo (57kg), Reginald Ikiofakemefa (61kg), Joseph Anthony (65kg), Emeka Nwafor (70kg), Tari Padeiowei (74kg), Clarkson Ebiboloukew (79kg), Tarikebena Captain (86kg), Yelekme Netco (92kg), Izonna Ayaebi (97kg) and Radiance Akaribest (125kg)
Freestyle (Cadet Female)
Yetunde Oluwatoyin (40kg), Esther Asiolu (43kg), Christiana Ogunsanyo (46kg), Oluda Aina (49kg), Mercy Adekuoroye (53kg), Adekoye Jumoye (57kg), Esther Kolawale (61kg), Balogun Sunmisola (65kg), Cecilia James (69kg) and Natasha Essien (76kg)
Freestyle (Cadet Male)
Kelvin Sariki (40-45kg), Oluwatosin Adegoke (48kg), Moses Ikatuboh (51kg), Ikechukwu Okafor (55kg), Stephen Akintene (60kg), Nnaemeka Kenechukwu (65kg), ThankGod Morgan (71kg), Newlife Ebikeme (80kg), Zikenah Amen (92kg) and Isaac Iwenji (110kg)
Greco Roman (Senior)
Henry Akinwale (55kg), Enenibodi Dick (60kg), John ARikpo (63kg), Romeo Joseph (67kg), Emmanuel Nworie (72kg), Perefaghe Kiribein (77kg), Tochukwu Okeke (82kg), Tobechukwu Udeh (87kg), Okuro Augustine (97kg) and Ilukwe Patrick Tagbo (130kg)
Greco Roman (Junior)
Segun Adebawo (55kg), Olubode Fayowole (60kg), Adekunle Julius (63kg), Pakistan Alfred (67kg), Chinonso Robinson (72kg), Agbonifo Ehichiel (77kg), Samuel Oyewole (82kg), Dickson Emmanuel (87kg), Omega Emmanuel (97kg) and Hassan Lawal (130kg)
Greco Roman (Cadet)
Henry Opokuma (45kg), Ogidi Perediegha (48kg), Fayolemi Damilola (51kg), Peter Ukoro (55kg), Robinson Ikechukwu (60kg), Aremu Taiwo (65kg), Ibrahim Abdulhameed (71kg), Buhari Umar Shuni (80kg), Yahaya Yahuze (97kg) and Ladoja Idowu (110kg)
