Esther Kolawole, a true medal hopeful for Nigeria in Wrestling

Posted : 28 September 2023

Fast rising Esther Kolawole is indeed a marcel when it comes to wrestling in Nigeria, at just 21-years of age, the Ondo-born Esther Kolawole is already showing a sign of big things to come in Wrestling for Nigeria and indeed her appearance at the Paris 2024 Olympics will be a bigger statement.

Esther Omolayo Kolawole is a specialist and competes in the freestyle 62 kg division with just few years behind, she has represented Nigeria home and abroad.

After a dominant display at 20 years of age, Esther Omolayo Kolawole earned bronze in the women’s 62 kg division in August 2022 in Birmingham, England, during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Esther Kolawole was born on January 4, 2002, in Lagos State, Nigeria where she also had her primary and secondary school education.

Esther Kolawale’s blossoming career started when against all odds she earned a gold medal at the 2018 African Youth Games. This came after she was discovered at the Nigerian National Sports Festival in December 2018 and subsequently because of her impressive fight to victory in the 55 kg freestyle, she deservedly earned a gold medal match, while she was crowned the country’s wrestling champion. She also earned the gold medal in the 61 kg cadet division at the 2018 African Wrestling Championships in February 2018.

At the 2020 African Wrestling Championships held in Algiers, Algeria, she took home the gold medal in her division. She was unsuccessful in achieving the Olympic qualification for the 2020 Summer Games in Sofia, Bulgaria, in May 2021.

She competed in the women’s 55 kg division in October 2021 at the World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway, where she lost her second bout.

She finished third and took home a bronze medal in the women’s 57 kg freestyle event at the 2021 U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, in November 2021.

She however lost her bronze medal match in the women’s 57 kg competition in the Istanbul, Turkey-based Yasar Dogu Tournament in 2022, but won a bronze medal in the women’s freestyle in the 62kg category at the Commonwealth Games.

Commenting on her loss at 57 kg Kolawole regrettably motioned that negligence and lack of adequate championship cost her the gold medal at the previous U-23 World Championships.

She said, “I have been to top notch tournaments including the African Championship where I finished second place.

``I won a bronze medal at the Grand Prix in France afterwards winning gold medal at the Grand Prix in Spain last July.

“In some cases, negligence has cost me the gold medal at the U-23 World Championship and lack of regular competition.

``I am really working hard on my past mistakes and other technical aspects of my style of wrestling but I believe I will do very well at the U-23 World Championship,” she said.

Kolawole said she currently has no challenger in the women’s 62kg in Nigeria.

The former African Champion said, “I feel happy and excited to win the National Championship again. I do not have a challenger for now in my weight class in Nigeria.

“I am training so hard, working day and night; my coach is not leaving any stone unturned and I have the potential of making Nigeria proud at the Paris 2024 Olympics,” she added.

African Silver medallist, Esther Kolawole revealed that she is eager to win more titles for Nigeria at subsequent International Championships in 2023.

Esther Kolawole lost to Olympic bronze medallist, Marwa Amri of Tunisia in the women’s 62kg finals to settle for silver medal at the 2023 African Senior Wrestling Championship in Tunisia.

The National Senior Champion said, “To be honest, I did not achieve my aim because I should have given my 100 per cent.

``Thank God there will be another opportunity to prove myself at the 2023 Grand Prix in Spain and Ranking Series in Hungary.

“I have all that it takes by the grace of God to cause an upset and to win my weight class in subsequent International Championships.”

She said, “I felt so happy and motivated beating Marwa Amri, an Olympic medallist but I knew I needed to work more.

“After my quarterfinals match, the President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Hon Daniel Igali walked up to me to tell me that I needed to wrestle her (Marwa Amri) harder than I did, he told me as a young girl I needed to keep wrestling all through the 6 minute match.

“After the words from the President, I realised I had the potential to wrestle everyone in my weight class hands down.”

Esther further claimed that she drew motivation from her personal coach, Purity Akuh who doubles as the head coach of Ondo State Wrestling Association.

She said her senior colleagues including Aminat Adeniyi, Odunayo Adekuoroye, Blessing Oborududu and many more inspire her on and off the wrestling mat.

The promising wrestler said, “My personal coach, Purity Akuh has been a major source of motivation to me and the President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Hon Daniel Igali who always encourages me mentally and financially.

“My seniors, which include Aminat Adeniyi, Odunayo Adekuoroye, Blessing Oborududu and others have really taught me a few things on the mat and training has exposed me.”

With Olympics ticket under her belt, Esther Kolawole said her focus was still same as when she first starred for Nigeria, claiming she wants to win for her country.

Esther Kolawole, a true medal hopeful for Nigeria in Wrestling

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