Adekuoroye, Oborududu Take Delight In New World Rankings, Eye More

Nigeria’s top two female wrestlers, Odunayo Adekuoroye and Blessing Oborudu have revealed the deep levels of delight they have, following their recent elevations in the global rankings and qualifications for the Olympic Games, even as they set their sights on achieving greater exploits, megasportsarena.com reports.

Speaking in the wake of their rise on the global scales, following heroic efforts and victories at the recent ranking competition in Algeria, Adekuoroye and Oborududu declared that their next target is to achieve laurels for Nigeria at this year’s Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Adekuoroye, who is the new world number one in the 57kg category, admitted she is relishing the aura of her latest success after emerging with another gold medal at the 20220 Senior Africa Wrestling Championship in the Algerian capital, Algiers.

She further enthused that her latest success in Algeria makes it her sixth African title, not fifth, as was widely reported in error by United World Wrestling Federation, and the amazing grappler, who won the continental gong as well in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, said she is gunning for more laurels, especially at this year’s Olympics in Tokyo.

Adekuoroye disclosed: “I feel so excited. I’m happy, I’m glad. I won my sixth African title not fifth, I messaged the United World Wrestling and they apologised for the mistake. I won my sixth African title and I believe it’s one of the preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. I need to compete a lot before the Olympics. Having four matches here, it’s one preparation for the Tokyo Olympic games.”

In similar vein, Oborodudu, who is also Africa champion in the 68kg category, expressed delight in winning her 10th straight title at the championship in Algiers, a feat that helped her rise to an all-time high of world number two in the women’s wrestling ranking for her cadre.

While acknowledging that the recent feat was made possible by dint of tough efforts and hard work, Oborududu stated further that it is a thing of pride to successfully defend her title every year and thanked Nigerians for their love and support, while hoping to achieve more this year.

Oborududu concluded: “I’m extremely excited for been 10 times African champion, it’s not easy and it’s been God all through. And to my fans in Nigeria I want to say big thanks to you all for your prayers and support and pray that 2020, we have more greater things to celebrate.”