Over seven hundred and fifty athletes and coaches from the thirty-six states of the federation will jostle for glory in the 3rd Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Dr. Daniel Igali, gave this information at a press conference held in Yenagoa ahead of the championship.
He said the championship would commence from the 3rd to the 10th of November 2024, while the wrestling events would start from the 5th to the 9th of that month, stating that the Gov. Douye Diri Wrestling Classics remains the longest wrestling tournament in the country.
The commissioner explained that the federation has received interest from over twenty states, including military and paramilitary organizations, and that over fifteen clubs have so far expressed concern for this year’s championship.
Dr. Igali noted that this year’s edition would witness improved organization compared to the previous edition due to the level of enthusiasm and interest from the participants, coupled with the nation’s poor performance in the last Olympic Games in Paris, France. He asserted that the 3rd Gov. Douye Diri Wrestling Classics would feature freestyle, Greco-Roman, and female styles, explaining that freestyle and Greco-Roman will have ten weight classes, with an additional five junior and cadet classes, bringing the total to forty-five weight classes.
While appreciating Governor Douye Diri for his unwavering support toward the development of sports over the last four years, the Olympian noted that Bayelsa remains the most successful wrestling state in the country, pointing out that the state has produced eighty-two gold medals at the continental level.
He further explained that Bayelsa has produced eighty-two African champions, making it one hundred thirty-eight medals won by Bayelsans at the African level, along with four Commonwealth gold medalists, an Olympic silver medalist, and a 19-time Olympian from Bayelsa, describing the state as the home of wrestling.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports Development, Mrs. Grace Alagoa, said Nigerians should expect the best of wrestling from this year’s championship.
The Director of Sports for the Bayelsa State Council, Sir Braveman Wodi, opined that the championship is a valuable platform to prepare athletes for the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association expressed his happiness in collaborating with the Nigeria Wrestling Federation to positively engage the youth through sports.
