Nigerian born fighter, Henry Hendrix won 3 gold medals at the 2015 Worldwide Wushu Kungfu Taijiquan International Competition after defeating a Chinese champion.
Month: August 2015
AAG 2015; Foreign coach to mentor Grecco Roman Wrestlers
The president Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) Dr. Daniel Igali in Abuja said the federation is working tirelessly in securing the services of a foreign Grecco Roman coach in taking the athletes on the technicalities of the style a week to the All Africa Games (AAG) in Brazzaville, Congo next month.
According to Igali who is currently in camp with the athletes, said the wrestlers are in top form and ready to make their fatherland proud.
“Over the last few months, we (Nigeria Wrestling Federation) have been working on a Grecco Roman coach to come in, we just have a little hitch but certain he will be in the country”.
“If we can have one (1) week with him (foreign coach) before the games, then we will bring him in. Sometimes, you need just a week to correct minor technical details” asserted Igali.
He said “Grecco Roman is an unknown territory, i like the determination of the Grecco Roman athletes but whether we will be able to win gold medals is what i dont know. I think we can win medals, gold is another issue”.
On the performance and fitness level in totality, the president ended that he thinks they are in relatively good shape stating that with less than two weeks to the games the athletes are 90% ready and needs to work on few technical details.
In the same vein, The chairman Nigeria Wrestling Referees, Usman Yusuf on Saturday led series of officials to the camp, guiding them on adjusted rules in the sport.
Senior World Championship; Pray for me, Odunayo tells Nigerians
Nigeria sensational wrestler, Odunayo Adekuoroye has urged sport loving Nigerians to pray fervently as she wrestle with highly rated wrestlers at the senior world championship in Las Vegas, USA.
The African champion who is passionately training in camp, said she is aiming to set a new standard in Nigeria wrestling female category by breaking fellow compatriot Iheanacho Ifeoma record at the championship.
Ifeoma Iheanacho won bronze medals back to back at the 2009 FILA Wrestling World Championships held at the Messecenter Herning exhibition center in Herning, Denmark and also at the 2010 FILA Wrestling World Championships held at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
“As a christian, I believe in the principle of work and pray as directed in the bible. I and my coaches are working, so its now left for the Nigeria people to pray for the team”, she appealed.
“With the level of training am been given daily by my coaches, I believe am 100% fit and ready for the championship. I (Odunayo) and my coaches have been watching various clips of World 19 female wrestlers and am sure i will give them a fight dor their money in my category”, She noted.
Odunayo said she is looking forward to set a new record in Nigeria female category.
“I am aware of the record on ground set by Iheanacho Ifeoma who won a double bronze at the pqst championship in 2009 (Denmark) and 2010 (Russia) this time around, i want to set a new record” She asserted.
Indian Wrestlers to train in Las Vegas to prepare for World Wrestling C’ship
Wrestling Federation of India has announced that its senior male and female wrestling teams will train in Las Vegas, USA from 26 August – 6 September 2015.
This tour is in preparations for the World Wrestling Championship to be held at the same venue from 7 -12 September 2015.
Mr. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, President Wrestling Federation of India and Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) said “This tour will be an ideal opportunity for our wrestlers to get international exposure and get acclimatize to the local conditions in Las Vegas ahead of World Championship. Considering the importance of World Wrestling Championship which is also the first qualifying event for Rio Olympic Games 2016, we have scheduled this training tour with the aim to prepare our wrestlers in a better way and win more and more Olympic quotas”.
“I am sure this tour will be an added advantage for our wrestlers who have been working hard in training camps since November 2014” added Mr. Bhushan.
Indian wrestling teams have recently performed well in the Fifth (V)th Senior International Wrestling Tournament “Cup of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan” in Astana, Kazakhstan last month.
Olympic Games 2012 bronze medalist Yogeshwar Dutt (65 kg) who will lead the male team which aims to train hard in USA to get acclimatize to local conditions and work on sharpening their techniques ahead of the World Championship.
World Wrestling Championship is also the qualifying event for Rio Olympic Games 2016 and Indian wrestlers are targeting as many berths through this event.
The team will also see participation from international medalists including Olympian Nar Singh Pancham Yadav (74 kg), Commonwealth Games medalist Amit Kumar (57 kg), Asian Games medalist Mausam Khatri (97 kg) and Commonwealth Games & Asian Games medalist Bajrang (61 kg).
In the female team, Olympian Geeta Phogat (58 kg) of Haryana who had won bronze medal at the World Championship in 2012 will spearhead the Indian attack. Commonwealth Games 2014 gold medalist Vinesh (48 kg), Commonwealth Games gold medalist Babita Kumari (53kg) and Commonwealth Games 2014 silver medalist Lalita (55 kg) will also be part of the team that will train in USA.
Culled from Indian Sport News
Four Defending Champs Headed to Las Vegas Top Women’s World Rankings
Four reigning world champions head to next month’s championships in Las Vegas at the top of the United World Wrestling rankings for women’s wrestling in August.
Eri TOSAKA (48kg), Saori YOSHIDA (53kg) and Kaori ICHO (58kg) from Japan along with American Adeline GRAY (75kg) all head into The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas in the same position they left Tashkent 11 months ago.
Japan’s fourth titlist in Tashkent, Chiho HAMADA (55kg), however, will not make the trip after slumping in the Japanese national team trials and slipping to No.5 in the rankings.
World bronze medal winner Helen MAROULIS (USA), who fell to Hamada in last year’s semifinals in Tashkent, takes over the top spot after winning six events this year, including the Grand Prix of Spain in early July. Maroulis was also the top individual at 55kg at the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Maria STADNYK (AZE), second-ranked at 48kg, bagged her third title of the year at the Poland Open in late July, while No.2 at 53kg Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) earned a silver medal in Madrid in her final competitive tune-up before making the trip to Las Vegas.
Culled from United World Wrestling
Blessing Oborududu resumes training
Olympian, Blessing Oborududu has bounce back from an injury sustained during the weekend and has started training.
Five times Africa champion, Blessing Oborududu who was ruled out for two (2) weeks by the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) due to a minor injury she sustained during a training session in Abuja has miraculously resumed training few days after been declared unfit..
Blessing disclosed that it is quite unfortunate that she will not be participating at the Senior World Championship in Las Vegas.
The Olympian expressed optimism that she will be able to participate at the All Africa Games taking place later next month in Congo.
“The All Africa Games is going to be fire for fire as i will put extra effort in the games so as to consolidate my non participation in the championship” said Oborududu.
She however wished Odunayo Adekuoroye an injury free championship in Las Vegas.
“She is going to represent Nigeria and we have to rally round to support her” Oborududu ended.
Senior World Championship; Adekuoroye IN, Oborududu OUT.
2014 Commonwealth gold medalist, Odunayo Adekuoroye will be the only Nigerian wrestler to participate at the senior championship billed to take place at Las Vegas between September 7th-13th 2015, while five times African champion, Blessing Oborududu is dropped due to a minor injury.
The president NWF, Dr. Daniel Igali in Abuja said the 2013 best wrestler at the commonwealth tournament, Blessing Oborududu is fit and has resumed training but will still be rested as she will only participate at the All Africa Games next month.
“we were suppose to take both of them, that is Odunayo and Oborududu but with her (Oborududu) situation, it is likely only Odunayo will participate” stated Igali.
“From what I heard from the medical team, it is a lateral collateral ligament injury. Three (3) weeks should be enough for her to recover and participate at the All Africa Games but whether she can participate at the Senior World Championship is what am not sure off. So we will make our discission today (Wednesday)”,Igali stated.
He added: “my guess is that she will not be able to make it to the World Championship but if managed properly, she will be fit for the All Africa Games”.
Blessing Oborududu, a one time Olympian, 2010 Commonwealth silver medalist Delhi, India, 2014 commonwealth bronze medalist Glasgow, Scotland, 2013, Best wrestler at the commonwealth tournament South Africa and Five (5) times Africa Champion participated at the 2011 World Championship held at Russia which also featured fellow compatriots like Odunayo Adekuoroye, Iheanacho Ifeoma, Amas Daniel and Sinvic Boltic.
Commonwealth Youth Games: Sefiyat Onubayi eyes gold with athletes at Samoa
Coach weightlifting youth team, Sefiyat Onubayi has assured Nigerians of optimum performance at the Commonwealth Youth Games scheduled to take place in Samoa between September 5th-12th 2015.
The Kogi born coach in Abuja said the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation will be traveling to Samoa with a Four (4) man team.
Sefiyat noted that for male category, Unwana Peter Nyong (56Kg) and Emmanuel Appah (62Kg) will represent Nigeria while the female category consist of Temidayo Jegede (48Kg) and Ukamaka Dominic (58Kg).
“Our sure banker at the Commonwealth Youth Games is Emmanuel because he is more experienced and exposed than the rest. He won 3 gold at the 2nd Youth All Africa Games Gaborone 2014 and we expect him to replicate his fine form at Samoa” noted Sefiyat.
Expressing same confidence, National Weightlifting Coach, Ekanem Andrew said he had watched the young weightlifters during training sessions and he believes its going to be a work over at the Commonwealth Youth Games especially in the female category.
He however appealed to some section of the media to always clarify issues before jumping into ill conclusion about the team as they had worked thus far and cannot afford to get the athletes distracted.
Ekanem appreciated the Weightlifting Federation as well as the National Sport Commission for providing conducive training environment for the athletes promising to replicate the kind gesture by winning medals at various competitions.
Meet Victor Kodei, Head coach Nigeria Wrestling Federation
Victor Kodei will be leading the Nigeria Wrestlers to the All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo
Head coach Nigeria Wrestling Federation
Full name: Victor Kodei Ayaokpo
Gender: Male
Height: 185 cm
Born: November 11, 1965
State; Bayelsa
Country: Nigeria (NGR)
Kodei is a;
14 times Africa Champion
5 times Commonwealth champion
3 times World Grand Prix.
4 times Olympian
Commonwealth medalists top taekwondo team’s list to AAG
Commonwealth gold medalists, Adamu Isah and Mohammed Jamilu, topped the list of 16 athletes from the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) for the 11th All Africa Games (AAG) that would hold in Congo Brazzaville between Sept. 4 and Sept.19.
A statement issued on Friday in Lagos by the NTF said that Isah, one of the experienced taekwondoist, would compete in the men’s 54kg at the Games.
It said Isah had featured in the 2014 World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) World Junior Championship in Taipei, China and in the maiden 2014 Africa Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana.
It noted that Naheem Jamilu (58kg) is also an established taekwondoist having won gold at the 2011 African Games in Mozambique as well as a quarterfinalist at the 2015 Alexandria Open in Egypt.
It said Chika, the 2011 African Games gold medalist and captain of Team Nigeria, in the absence of his sibling Uche Chukwumerije, would also be part of the team and jostle for medals in the men’s +87kg.
The statement also said that Sunday Onofe, the 2011 African Games bronze medalist, and another experienced taekwondoist on the team; would fight for medal in the men’s -80kg.
Other members of the men’s team are : Edwin Samson Nduka (-63kg), Kolade Paul (-68kg), Olushola Segun (-74kg), and Ayodele Temitope Ebenezer (-87kg), it said.
The statement said that the 2014 African Championship bronze medalist, Joy Ekhator (-49kg), will lead the female team as the most experienced athlete.
Others are : Jimoh Morufat (-46kg), Chinazum Nwosu (-52kg), Fatimoh Abdullahi (-57kg), Ndu Vivian (-63kg), Ifeoma Dennis (-67kg), Uzoamaka Otuadinma (-73kg) and Esther Uzoukwu (+73kg), it said.
The statement said that Egypt, Tunisia and Senegal finished as the top three teams while Nigeria settled for the fourth place with two gold, one silver and seven bronze medals in the last African Games in Mozambique.
The federation in the statement assured its fans of an improved performance by its athletes which would earn it a better ranking in this year’s event.
Culled from NAN
Combats Corner 