[dropcap]N[/dropcap]igerian wrestlers have proven their dominance in wrestling having won 10 medals at the African Youth Games in Algeria.
All the members of the wrestling team who made it to the 3rd edition of the African Youth Games in Wrestling all made medals at the event. These includes Kolawole Esther (Gold), Sunmisola Balogun (Gold), Christianah Ogunsanya (Gold), Esther Asaolu (silver), Yetunde Oluwatuyi (silver), Jumoke Adekoye (silver), Aina Ohida (silver), Mercy Adekuoroye (silver), Adijat Idris (bronze) and Natasha Davids (bronze).
Nigeria added two medals in table tennis to their haul at the 2018 African Youth Games in Algeria after Esther Oribamise and Azeez Solanke won silver in the mixed doubles event while Oribamise grabbed bronze in the women’s singles.Oribamise and Solanke lost to Egyptian duo Youssef Abdel-Aziz and Marwa Alhodaby in the final of the event to win silver.
However, Solanke finished fifth after he was beaten by Abdel-Aziz in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles. Abdel-Aziz went on to win gold in the event. Oribamise lost to Alhodaby in the semi-final of the women’s singles. She defeated Mauritius’ Jalim Nandeshwaree in the bronze match. Oribamise will represent Nigeria at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires later in the year.
She spoke from Algeria, “it is painful that we couldn’t win gold but we are glad that we won silver. It was a tough match because the Egyptians are more exposed than us but I have learnt more on how to tackle them when we meet again.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s male volleyball team won gold in their event and qualified for the 2019 FIVB U-19 World Boys’ championship in Iran.Nigeria beat Egypt 3-2 to clinch the medal and qualification. They defeated Tunisia in the quarter-finals and Algeria in the semi-finals.The country also won bronze in shooting after Agera Champion recorded 4,713 shots in the junior men’s 10m Air Rifle.Nigeria’s women’s hockey team lost 2-0 to Ghana in the quarter-finals.
In football, Champions Nigeria cruised into the final of the football event at the 3rd African Youth Games in Algeria after beating the host nation 2-0 at the August 20 Stadium. Adeleke Tobi put the 2014 gold winners ahead from the penalty spot before John Mark Shirsha solidified the advantage to take the Future Eagles into what promises an interesting final match against familiar foes Morocco.The Moroccans, who edged Cameroon in the other semi final played at the Sidi Moussa Stadium, will be angling to avenge their 2-3 opening match loss to the Nigerians when both teams clash in the final at the same venue on Friday evening. It would be recalled that the Future Eagles came from two goals down to defeat the Moroccans with a brace from Divine Nwachukwu and one by Chidera Ejiofor on Thursday last week at the P. C. Bab Ezzouar Stadium, before a commanding 5-0 win over Djibouti at the same venue on Saturday.
Nigeria won the football gold at the last edition of the African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana four years after winning four of five matches and drawing one, in what was a round -robin format.
Apart from last Thursday’s explosive opener, Nigeria and Morocco faced off in two friendly matches in Marrakech a year ago, with the Moroccans winning the first 1-0 and both teams drawing the other 1-1.