The Nigerian Army Wrestling Team that participated at the just concluded 2019 Governor Dickson National Wrestling Classics which took place in Yenegoa, Bayelsa state, won three gold, two silver and one bronze medals.
A statement by the acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Musa Sagir Tuesday said the male and female team featured in the senior category of the championship.
Thirty-six states participated in which 13 wrestling clubs attended, featuring 532 wrestlers competing for honours.
Additional to other objectives, the championship aimed at selecting the national wrestling team that would represent the country at the 2019 All Africa Games slated for Morocco in Aug 2019.
“The Nigerian Army Wrestling Team (male & female) featured in the senior category of the championship.
“At the end of the week long event, the Nigerian Army Wrestling Team smiled home with 3 Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze Medals to finish 5th Position on the Final Medals Table ahead of 12 other wrestling clubs and 21 States of the Federation (the organisers adopted the points system and not the usual medals system).
“By this feat, the 3 Gold Medalists and 2 Silver Medalists are qualified to be part of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation Training Camp to represent Nigeria at the 2019 All Africa Games,” Sagir stated.
He gave names of the six Army Medalists that excelled at the championship to include: Gold LCpl Tochukwu Okeke (M), LCpl Hannah Reuben (F) and Pte Tobechukwu Udeh (M); Silver Pte Winnie Gofit (F) and Pte Shonde Rhoda (F) and Bronze Pte Victor Effiong.
“The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai has congratulated the team on the feat achieved and tasked them to go ahead and make the Nigerian Army and indeed the Nigeria proud at the forthcoming 2019 All Africa Games,” the statement read.
In a similar development, the Nigerian Army Boxing Team also won three medals (2 Gold & 1 Silver) at the National Boxing Trials conducted to select the National Boxing Team to represent Nigeria at the 2019 All Africa Games scheduled to hold in Morocco.
The contest took place at the Brai Ayanote Gymnasium, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos from 25-27Jun 2019.
Nigerian Army Boxing Team featured four boxers in the trials based on their good performances at the 2018 National Sports Festival held at Abuja.
At the end of the National Trials, the Nigerian Army Boxing Team won 2 Gold and 1 Silver Medals.
The Gold Medalists are LCpl Osita Umeh (69 Kg Men) and LCpl Yetunde Odunuga ( 60Kg Women) while LCpl Caroline Linus ( 48Kg Women) won a silver medal.
By this glorious development, the three medalists are qualified to be part of the Nigerian Boxing Federation Training Camp to represent Nigeria at the 2019 All Africa Games.
The Chief of Army Staff also congratulated the boxers on the feat achieved and urged them not to rest on their oars at ensuring they do the Nigerian Army and the Nation proud at the 2019 All Africa Games.
