Nigeria guaranteed first medal at Tokyo Olympics

Team Nigeria is now guaranteed to win a gold or silver medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics as Nigerian wrestler, Blessing Oborodudu, qualifies for the women’s Wrestling Freestyle 68 kg gold medal contest.

Oborodudu secured a 7-2 win against Soronzobold of Mongolia to reach the final. She will contest the final with America’s Tamyra Mensah-Stock who defeated Ukraine’s Alla Cherkasova in the other semi-final.

Before the win over Soronzobold, Oborodudu had defeated Meerim Zhumanazarova in the quarter-final in the wrestling 68kg event after a hard-fought 3-2 win.

After a cagey opening moment in her semi-final bout against the 2015 World champion Soronzonbold, the energetic Oborududu burst into action, taking down the 31-year-old Mongolian thrice to eventually win the first round 7-0.

A late fightback saw Soronzonbold score two points, but Oborududu was never going to be denied a place in history as she ran out with a comfortable 7-2 win.

The 2nd seed Oborududu will renew her rivalry with old foe  Mensah, as they battle for the ultimate prize – gold medal, with the pair expected to get on the mat around 11.15 am Nigerian time.

They last met at the 2019 World Championships in Kazakhstan, with the American getting the better of Oborududu on her way to the title.

Recall that Oborodudu won a gold medal at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in the 68 kg women’s freestyle wrestling event, defeating Canada’s Danielle Lappage.