Paris 2024 Olympics: Igali praises Adekuoroye, confident more Nigerian wrestlers will qualify

President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, has heaped praises on Odunayo Adekuoroye for securing an automatic qualification ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics in France.
In a statement through NWF media assistant Promise Okotoko on Friday, the Olympic wrestling champion lauded Adekuoroye’s performance at the ongoing Senior World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where she won a bronze medal in the Women’s 57kg Freestyle Wrestling category after beating Elvira Kamaloglu of Turkey 9-5 points on Wednesday.
The victory made the four-time World Cup medalist the first Nigerian wrestler to automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Despite other athletes missing out in the automatic qualification race for Paris 2024, Odunayo fought like the champion she is to win the bronze medal,” said Igali.
An elated Igali continued, “I am so happy that she has bounced back in great fashion; remember, she has been away for a while.”
The NWF president, who noted that Nigerians have high hopes for the Wrestling Federation after recent exploits on the international stage, said there was no cause for alarm, acknowledging that other athletes led by Blessing Oborududu will put in great efforts to qualify for the Olympics.
He said, “Of course we were disappointed we didn’t get more podium finishes as expected, which would’ve eased the pressure, but no worries at all.
“Anybody can have a bad day, and Belgrade was one of those days. The athletes were disappointed, but we need to quickly get back on the grind and look forward to the next Olympic qualifiers in Alexandria, Egypt, in March next year”.
He seized the opportunity to thank the Ministry of Sports Development, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the Bayelsa State Government, and Acting Comptroller- General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for aiding their Belgrade trip, adding that with continuous support, the federation would be able to adequately prepare the wrestlers for other Olympic qualifying competitions.
Igali assured all wrestling fans and lovers of sports that the country will qualify a good number of wrestlers in subsequent Olympic qualifying events and expressed confidence that Nigerian wrestlers will make the podium finish at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.