Naira rains on Bayelsa Wrestlers as Gov Diri showers cash on Wrestling Classics Medalists

Posted : 14 November 2024

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has rewarded wrestlers from the state who won medals at the 13th National Wrestling Classics held last weekend at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Bayelsa emerged as the overall winners of the wrestling championship, which was the third edition sponsored by Governor Diri.

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Each gold medalist received N500,000, silver medalists N200,000, and bronze medalists N100,000.

Senator Diri presented the cash awards to the winners on Thursday morning shortly after the weekly Prosperity Walk program at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex.

He also rewarded Team Bayelsa with the sum of N2 million, while the Dynamite Wrestling Club in the state, which came third, received N1 million.

The Bayelsa governor said the gesture was to encourage and motivate athletes to continue excelling in future championships.

He directed the Commissioner for Sports, Daniel Igali, who is also the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, to scout for young talents at the grassroots level in the quest to produce future champions.

He said: “I congratulate all the winners in the wrestling championship. Wrestling is indigenous to Bayelsa State, so it should continue to maintain its first position.

"All of our competitors must come out on top at national events, especially in wrestling and other combat sports.

"The government is appreciating all our gold medalists in the wrestling competition with N500,000, silver medalists with N200,000, and bronze medalists with N100,000.

"I have been speaking with Blessing Oborududu, the Olympic silver medalist, who has made a mark in wrestling, to mentor and train young wrestlers who will take over from her upon her retirement."

The governor noted that his administration had already reached out to top athletes, including Oborududu, to identify talents across the local government areas and train them to win laurels at state, national, and international levels.

In his remarks, Daniel Igali said 25 states and 11 clubs participated in the National Wrestling Classics.

While presenting the winners and their trophies, Igali said Bayelsa came first in both Greco-Roman and freestyle categories, as well as in the female category.

He added that the state also topped all categories, with a Bayelsa wrestler emerging as the outstanding competitor in Greco-Roman style.

Naira rains on Bayelsa Wrestlers as Gov Diri showers cash on Wrestling Classics Medalists

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