Nigerian freestyle wrestler, Odunayo Folasade Adekuruoye, has won her sixth consecutive African title, at the just ended Senior Africa Wrestling Championship in Algeria and become World Number One Wrestler in the 57 KG category.
Adekuruoye described her success as a preparation towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
“I won my sixth African title and I believe it’s one of the preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. I need to compete a lot before the Olympics; I need to have some matches. And having four matches here I think it’s one of the preparation for the Tokyo Olympic games, Adekuruoye mentioned in an interview with brila.net.”
Adekuruoye relishes winning 6th African title - https://t.co/imNQgsXQjH
— The Sun Nigeria (@thesunnigeria) February 12, 2020
She also dispelled report by the United World Wrestling Federation of her winning five African titles, saying, “I feel so excited, I’m happy I’m glad. I won my sixth African title not fifth, I messaged the United World Wrestling yesterday and they apologized for the mistake."
Adekuoroye sixth African championship crown saw her overthrew Risako Kawai of Japan for the world’s top-ranking in the 57kg category.
In addition to the her 2020 African title, she also won the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, making it her sixth gold title.
Born on December 10, 1993, Adekuoroye first participated in Nigeria's 15th National Sport Festival held in Ogun State in 2006, where she won the gold medal in the cadet category.
Fellow Nigerian, Blessing Oborududu, also won gold over the weekend and moved ahead of Jenny Fransson of Sweden in the 68kg world rankings.
Oborududu brought her African gold-medal tally to ten, surpassing Fransson for the number 2 spot in the 68kg women’s wrestling rankings.
Her title on Saturday was worth 18 points, moving her eight points ahead of the Swedish wrestler, who won’t compete at next week’s European Championships.
