Bayelsa undisputed hub of wrestling in Nigeria – Dare

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has described Bayelsa State as the centre of wrestling in Nigeria following the state’s tradition of producing great wrestlers over the years.

The Minister who made this known at the closing ceremony of the just-concluded 1st Gov. Diri National Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Tuesday reiterated that Nigeria’s best wrestlers have emerged from Bayelsa State.

It will be recalled that last year, Blessing Oborududu became the first-ever Nigerian wrestler to win an Olympic medal as she won a silver medal in the 68kg class at the Tokyo 2020 Games in Japan.

Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) President Hon. Daniel Igali and Commissioner of Sports in Bayelsa State had won an Olympic gold medal for Canada at the Sydney 2000 Games, having previously represented Nigeria at different international competitions.

Dare said “The wrestling glory of our country Nigeria is planted solidly in Bayelsa State. We have seen our stars come from the nooks and crannies of this state.

“The Gov. Diri National Classics is a testimony to the fact that Bayelsa State is the wrestling industry for Nigeria. I want to thank all the athletes that have taken part in this 5-day event.”

The Minister also expressed confidence that the champions at the tournament will go ahead to give Nigeria quality representation at the 2022 African Championships in Morocco later this month and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.