Ogunsanya opens Nigeria's medal account with bronze in Mongolia

By Maxwell Kumoye 
 
 

Nigeria's Christianah Ogunsanya delivered a commendable performance to claim a bronze medal at the ongoing 3rd World Wrestling Series Tournament in Mongolia, becoming the first Nigerian wrestler to reach the podium at the prestigious ranking event.

The reigning African champion fought her way to the bronze medal after edging Mongolia's Bayanmunkh 6-6 on technical criteria in a thrilling contest that silenced the home crowd.

Often regarded as one of the toughest wrestling competitions outside the World Championships and Olympic Games, the World Wrestling Series has attracted elite wrestlers from across the globe seeking valuable ranking points and international exposure.

Ogunsanya's journey to the podium began with a dominant 10-0 superiority victory over Mongolia's Tsovoo Gankhuyag. However, her quest for gold suffered a setback in the semifinals where she fell 10-0 by superiority to Japan's Kiyooka M. Undeterred, the Nigerian star bounced back strongly to secure a place on the podium.

Nigeria came close to adding another medal through Commonwealth champion Mercy Genesis, who narrowly missed out after losing 7-2 to Turkey's Evin Demirhan in the bronze medal match.

Speaking after the day's competition, Nigeria women's wrestling coach Akuh Purity described the bronze medal as evidence of the country's growing competitiveness on the global stage.

"This medal shows that Nigeria can hold its own against some of the world's best wrestlers. Beyond the result, the tournament has provided invaluable experience for both the athletes and the coaching crew as we continue preparations for future international competitions, especially the 2028 Olympic Games," she said.

The coach also expressed gratitude to the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, for ensuring the team's participation at the event.

With one medal already secured, Team Nigeria will now look ahead to Saturday's action, where Esther Kolawole and Hannah Damola Ojo will be aiming to strengthen the country's medal haul as the tournament enters its decisive stages.

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