Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has assured that Nigerian wrestlers to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will re-write their history of participation at the Olympics.
Nigeria is yet to win a medal in the event since 1980 when the country registered its first wrestler for the quadrennial event but the Sports Minister believes the narrative will change as the present crop of wrestlers in camp preparing for the Tokyo Olympics have demonstrated not only the talents but also the high ocassion temperament needed to succeed at the biggest stage in sports.
”I commend the Bayelsa State government and the Caretaker Chairman of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation for the great support given to our Wrestling team. I salute the wrestlers who have toiled for months to perfect their art all in their bid to bring glory to their country, their fatherland. I saw them here in February last year and I’ve watched them on television in and out of this country,” said the Minister when he visited the team at their training camp in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state Thursday night.
Dare is delighted with the level of preparedness of the wrestlers and praised them for embracing discipline and for staying focussed.
”What I am seeing tonight are champions and I have also seen them over the years exhibit some level of discipline that is uncommon. You know that there is no defeating the Nigerian spirit, this is your time and this is Nigeria’s time to go to the Olympics and rewrite the Olympics history of wrestling in this country.
”I am impressed and I didn’t expect anything different knowing the work ethics of not just the President but also that of our young wrestlers. I’ve followed the efforts and the giant strides they have taken in the last two years. We’ve sent them to so many championships around the world and we’ve seen them excel and they have remained consistent in their performance.”
The Minister further thanked the Governor of Bayelsa State Senator Douye Diri for his support, Commissioner for Sports Daniel Igali for being a model of leadership and other government officials that have worked tirelessly to make Bayelsa the Wrestling capital of Nigeria.
“These wrestlers have exhibited the skills that you see, they’ve gone out there and beaten some of the top ranked wrestlers in the world, I am sure these young wrestlers will rewrite the Olympics history of wrestling in Nigeria” He concluded.