Five Nigerian Wrestlers Qualify For 2024 Paris Olympics

Five Nigerian wrestlers have qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics thanks to their performance at the African/Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in Alexandria, Egypt.

After Odunayo Adekuoroye had earlier booked herself a place in the Paris Olympics in 2023, Nigeria needed to perform well at the African/Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in Alexandria, Egypt to land more spots at the Olympics.

United World Wrestling has earlier highlighted that wrestlers who are part of the finalists at the qualifiers will automatically qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

In the qualifiers, four Nigerians made it to the final and won gold in their respective categories.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver medalist Blessing Oborududu qualified for the 2024 Olympics after beating Uilau Tarkong of Palau in the 68kg Women’s category.

World Military champion Hannah Reuben won gold at the qualifiers and booked herself a place at the Olympics after beating Amy Youin Of Ivory Coast in the 76kg. This makes it her second medal in one month. Recall that she won gold for Nigeria during the 2023 All-African Games in Ghana in March 2024.

Esther Kolawole defeated Angelina Rodrigues of Cape Verde to grab Nigeria’s third gold at the qualifiers, while African Games champion Christiana Ogunsanya defeated Egyptian Shaimaa Mohamed in the 53kg Women’s event to win the fourth gold.

The four gold medalists will join Odunayo Adekuoroye who qualified for the 2024 Olympics last year following her bronze medal win in women’s 57kg at the World Championships in Belgrade.