From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Team Nigeria’s contingent to the 2025 African Senior Wrestling Championships in Casablanca, Morocco, maintained its status as one of the leading wrestling nations with a total of 10 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals to wrap up the tournament in a dominant style.
Multiple African Champion, Mercy Genesis, started from where her teammates left off on day 1 with a superior display of 11-0 over Algerian Cheima Chebila to secure gold in the 50kg category for Nigeria.
The day got better for Team Nigeria when Adijat IDRIS in the 55kg outsmarted another Algerian, Achouak TEKOUK, to add to the gold sweep in women’s freestyle.
In the same vein, Jumoke Adekoye defeated her North African counterpart Rahma Hosafy BEDIWY of Egypt to lift yet another gold for Nigeria in the 59kg.
The Nigerian team snapped another gold when Ebipatei Mughenbofa in the 65kg category got the better of South African Cara Plessis 8-2
In the 72kg Ebi Biogos seasoned the gold sweep with salt when she outperformed Rosie K. TABORA of Congo Dr 12-5 to make it 9 gold out of 10 events Nigeria competed for in women’s freestyle after Mercy Adekuoroye was ruled out of the championship due to illness.
Meanwhile, in the 65kg men’s freestyle Stephen Izolo defiled all odds to beat Farouk Jelassi of Tunisia 5-1 to win Nigeria’s first gold in the men’s event and also become first Nigerian male in four years to win the African championship.
Ebikeme Newlife (92kg) was beaten by Cedric Abossolo of Cameroon in the final to settle for silver.
Tope Adebayo (70kg) defeated Otmane Bahja of Morocco 6-1 to clinch bronze, while Ebierelayefa Andrew (74kg) outclassed Jesse Burger Christiaan of South Africa 11-0 superiority to secure another bronze for Team Nigeria.
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