Christianah Ogunsanya wins Nigeria's first medal at World Wrestling rankings series in Mongolia
Nigeria's Christianah Ogunsanya delivered a strong performance to claim the country's first medal at the ongoing World Wrestling Ranking Series in Mongolia, securing a bronze medal in the women's category on Friday.
The multiple-time African champion battled her way onto the podium after edging Mongolia's Bayanmunkh in a closely contested bronze medal bout. With the scores tied at 6-6, Ogunsanya emerged victorious on technical criteria to hand Team Nigeria its first medal of the tournament.
Ogunsanya had begun her campaign in impressive fashion, overpowering Mongolia's Tsovoo Gankhuyag with a dominant 10-0 superiority victory. However, her progress towards the final was halted by Japan's Kiyooka M, who recorded a 10-0 win in their encounter.
Nigeria came close to adding another medal to its tally, but Commonwealth champion Mercy Genesis fell short in her bronze medal contest, losing 7-2 to Turkey's Evin Demirhan.
Reacting to Ogunsanya's achievement, Nigeria's women's wrestling coach, Purity Akuh, hailed the wrestler's determination and described the medal as a positive statement for Nigerian wrestling on the global stage.
"First and foremost, I give thanks to Almighty God for this medal. This achievement shows that Nigeria can compete against the world's top wrestling nations and elite athletes," Akuh said.
She added that the competition had provided valuable exposure for both athletes and coaches as preparations continue for future international events.
"Our wrestlers have gained important experience from this tournament, and as a coach, I have also learned lessons that will help us improve and prepare better for future competitions, particularly with the 2028 Olympic Games in mind," she noted.
Akuh also expressed appreciation to the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Bashir Adeniyi, for supporting the team's participation at the event.
With Ogunsanya's bronze medal setting the tone, Team Nigeria will now look to Esther Kolawole and Hannah Damola Ojo to deliver more podium finishes as the competition continues in Mongolia.
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