Nigeria delivered an outstanding performance at the 40th African Wrestling Championships in Casablanca, Morocco, finishing second overall behind Egypt. Team Nigeria secured 12 medals—10 gold, one silver, and one bronze—with the women’s freestyle team dominating by winning nine of the 10 available gold medals.
The standout performers included Mercy Genesis (50kg), Christianah Ogunsanya (53kg), Adijat Idris (55kg), Jumoke Adekoye (59kg), Esther Kolawole (62kg), Ebipatei Mughenbofa (65kg), Hannah Rueben (68kg), Ebi Biogos (72kg), and Damola Ojo (76kg), all securing gold in their respective categories. The only gold medal not won by Nigeria in the women’s freestyle category went to Algeria’s Chaimaa Aouissi in the 57kg event.
In the men’s freestyle, Nigeria’s sole gold medal came from Stephen Izolo (65kg), who defeated Tunisia’s Farouk Jelassi, while Egypt’s Said Ibrahim Elgahsh and Guinea-Bissau’s Wotna Cana Ndoc took bronze. Tope Adebayo earned a bronze in the 70kg freestyle, and Ebikeme Newlife secured silver in the 92kg class, finishing behind Cameroon’s Cédric Abossolo.
Nigeria did not participate in the U-20 junior and U-17 cadet categories, but their senior team’s performance was a strong statement of dominance in African wrestling.
