Reigning African champion Christianah Ogunsanya won Nigeria’s first medal at the ongoing 3rd World Wrestling Series Tournament in Mongolia, earning a bronze in the women’s category.
Promise Okotoko, Media Assistant to the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), stated that the tournament attracts wrestlers from around the world seeking to improve their rankings.
“The World Wrestling Series is regarded as one of the most competitive events outside the World Championships.
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“Ogunsanya claimed bronze after defeating the host athlete, Bayanmunkh of Mongolia, 6-6 on technical criteria in a closely contested bout.
“The multiple African champion began her campaign strongly with a dominant 10-0 victory over another Mongolian wrestler, Tsovoo Gankhuyag.
“However, she faced a setback in her next bout, losing 10-0 by superiority to Japan’s Kiyooka M,” he said.
Okotoko added that Nigeria’s Commonwealth champion, Mercy Genesis, narrowly missed a medal after losing 2-7 to Evin Demirhan of Turkey.
Reacting to the performance, Nigeria women’s wrestling coach Purity Akuh expressed gratitude and praised the athletes’ efforts.
“First and foremost, I thank Almighty God for this medal. It shows that Nigeria can compete with the world’s top wrestling nations.
“Our wrestlers gained valuable experience from this tournament, and as their coach, I’ve also learned important lessons to help improve their performance and better prepare them for future competitions, especially the 2028 Summer Olympics,” she said.
She also thanked Nigeria Wrestling Federation President Adewale Adeniyi for facilitating the team’s participation.
“I sincerely appreciate the NWF President for his support in making this possible,” she added.
Akuh noted that Team Nigeria is now focusing on Saturday’s events, where Esther Kolawole and Hannah Damola Ojo will compete.
According to her, the coaching team will review Day One performances and make necessary adjustments to secure more podium finishes.
The coach expressed optimism that the experience so far would boost the wrestlers’ confidence and enhance their chances in upcoming competitions.
