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Bayelsa State have emerged overall winners of this year’s
Governor Sylva National Wrestling Classics, which held in Yenagoa, the capital
city.

Bayelsa, which also won last year’s inaugural edition, emerged
winners in the Men’s and Women’s Freestyle events, as well as in the
Greco-Roman event. In the men’s event, Bayelsa finished tops with 86 points,
ahead of Delta State and Edeze Wrestling Club which finished with 47 and 35
points respectively. In the women’s event, the oil rich state swept the
opposition aside with a colossal haul of 91 points, well ahead of Imo State,
which came in second with 55 points, and Ondo State, which finished a point
less than Imo.

It was a much closer
contest however in the Greco-Roman event as Ondo State and Delta State tried to
make a contest out of it even though their efforts at the end proved incapable
of toppling the hosts who finished first with 70 points. Ondo and Delta
respectively got 58 and 52 points.

Outstanding wrestlers

Ondo, nevertheless, got recognition for producing the best
wrestler in the Women’s Freestyle event; Odunayo Adekuroye, who emerged
victorious in the 51 kilograms weight class where she defeated Bisola
Makanjuola of Akins Wrestling Club in the final. Adekuroye was one of Nigeria’s
medallists at this year’s Commonwealth Games which took place in New Delhi,
India.

In the Men’s Freestyle
event, Opukiri Agala, from Bayelsa State, was the most outstanding wrestler
after defeating all comers in the 74 kilograms weight class, including Famvie
Bekebo of the Ben John Wrestling Club; while Ifeanyi Ukwuagwu, representing
Abia State, emerged as the top wrestler in the Greco-Roman category. This
followed his dominance in the 84 kilograms category where he defeated Moses
Ojo, also of the Ben John Wrestling Club, in the final.

“It was a very good tournament,” said Daniel Igali, the national wrestling
coach. “A lot of very good wrestlers were in attendance and so many potential
champions have been unearthed. This is a step in the right direction and my
thanks goes to the governor of Bayelsa State for making all these possible.”