By Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
The President of Nigeria Wrestling federation, Hon.Daniel Igali said over 800 athletes will feature in the third edition of Governor Douye Diri National wrestling tournament scheduled for 3rd to 10th November, 2024 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
Hon.Igali said over 200 officials, military and paramilitary clubs as well as 25 states of the federation have indicated interest for this year tournament.
Champion Igali who doubles as the Bayelsa State commissioner for sports development stated this in a press conference held at the Samson Siasia stadium with the themed “Preparing Champions for the Future”, will serve as a platform for identifying outstanding athletes capable of bringing laurels to Nigeria on the global stage.
According to Champion Igali, over 15 Wrestling clubs across the country have indicated interest for this year’s championship,adding that this year’s tournament is better organized compared to previous edition due to the level of enthusiasm and interest from the participants coupled with the nation’s poor outing in the last Olympics games in Paris, France.
He commended the prosperity government led by Gov.Douye Diri for given premium attention to sports development in the State, stressing that Bayelsa State has produce 82 gold medals at the African games.
“Bayelsa alone has produce 82 gold medals at the African level, we have 82 times African Champion from Bayelsa extraction.
” We have 138 medals won by Bayelsan at the African level.we have 4 common wealth games gold medals from Bayelsa and Olympic silver medal.
” Bayelsa is the home of wrestling, we also have about 19 times Olympian from Bayelsa in wrestling alone.
“So, there is no sport that comes close to wrestling in terms of achievement. It is not a surprise that successive administrations have sponsored this competition for thirteen years in a row,” he said.
Igali also commended Mr. Ono Akpe, the Director General of the Prosperity Cup and consultant of the forthcoming wrestling competition, for his input and efforts ahead of the event.
He said the 3rd Gov Douye Diri Wrestling Classics would witnessed freestyle, Greco-Roman female styles and senior wrestling, explaining that freestyle and Greco-Roman will have ten weight classes, with an inclusion of five Junior and cadet classes making it a total of forty-five weight classes.
He further explained that the tournament will feature special prizes like, the chief of defense staff prize, the controller general of customs prize and the speaker of Bayelsa State house of assembly prize.
In her vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Sports Development, Mrs. Grace Alagoa, thanked Igali for the efforts made so far to organize the event.
Alagoa assured participants and spectators to “expect the best” as the government will do all it can to make the event remarkable.
