Don’t expect medals at Rio Olympics, Igali tells Nigerians

Former Canadian Olympic champion and President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, has told Nigerians not to expect any medal from the country’s athletes at the forthcoming Rio 2016 Olympics billed for August 5 to 21 in
Brazil.

Igali who lamented the non availability of funds to prepare Team Nigeria for the Games said only a miracle and sheer
determination by the athletes would earn the country a medal in Brazil.

“We had two weeks of camping in Bayelsa and we will be moving to Abuja. From what I am hearing now, it is like they are saying there is no money in the sports ministry.

Read also: Siasia picks Akpeyi as first choice for Olympics

“Not being able to follow our initial plans is what I am sensing, and if they do that the country can as well say goodbye to winning medals,” said Igali, a gold medallist at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

He added that: “It is only two months to the Olympics now and this is the only time the athletes can actually warm up in preparation for the Olympics.

“One thing you cannot rule out about the Nigerian spirit is that the athletes can still go out there and surprise the nation by winning medals,”

Seven wrestlers will represent Nigeria in both the male and female weight categories at the 2016 Olympics.

The are Odunayo Adekuoroye (53kg), Mercy Genesis (48kg), Aminat Adeniyi (58kg), Blessing Oborududu (63kg) and Hannah Reuben (69kg), Daniel Amas (65kg) and Soso Tamara (97).

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