Adekuoroye Becomes First Nigerian Wrestler To Qualify For 2024 Paris Olympics

Nigerian freestyle wrestler, Odunayo Adekuoroye took home the bronze medal in the women’s 57kg event on Wednesday at the ongoing World Championships in Belgrade.

This feat has earned her a place in the forthcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and became the first Nigerian wrestler to grab a ticket for the event.

Adekuoroye achieved this feat after beating Turkish wrestler Elvira Kamaloglu in the third-place match with a score of 9-5.

After failing in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Adekuoroye will compete in her third Olympics in Paris 2024 as she continues her quest for an elusive Olympic medal.

The 29-year-old wrestler, who missed the African Wrestling Championship earlier this year, contested on Tuesday for her first world title but lost 6-4 to Sarita Mor of India, the Number 1 wrestler in the world.

She was able to compete in the repechage on Wednesday though, and this allowed her to win her third bronze medal at the World Championships as well as a spot in the 2024 Olympics.

In the women’s 68 kg quarterfinals, Oborududu, an 11-time African champion and silver medalist at Tokyo 2020, lost to Vusala Parfianovich, and in the women’s 62 kg quarterfinals, Esther Kolawole fell to world Number 8 Grace Bullen of Norway 7-1.

Oborududu and Kolawole will each have the chance to punch their Olympic tickets later today, September 21 in the repechage, provided that their respective counterparts advance to the final of their respective categories.