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Birmingham 2022: Oborududu, Adekuoroye retain gold medals as Kolawole clinches bronze

Team Nigeria wrestling greats, Blessing Oborududu and Odunayo Adekuoroye, lived up to expectations today by winning the gold medals in their events at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in England.

Oborududu, who was the only Nigerian silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics last year, defeated Canada’s Linda Morais in the women’s 68kg final to successfully retain the gold medal she won in 2018.

The 33-year-old Oborududu had defeated Cocker Lemalie of Tonga in the semi-final on her way to her fourth Commonwealth Games medal.

The wrestling legend, who has won a record 11 consecutive African Wrestling Championship titles, won Commonwealth Games silver in 2010 in Delhi, India, bronze in 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland, and gold in 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia.

Adekuoroye, another living legend at just 28 years of age, won her third consecutive gold medal today.

She beat India’s Anshu Malik 6-4 in the 57kg class final to add to gold medals she won in 2014 and 2018. She had won bronze in her first Commonwealth Games in 2010 in Delhi, India.

In the women’s 62kg class, Esther Kolawole outclassed Scotland’s Abbie Fountain to win a bronze medal for Team Nigeria.

Team Nigeria are still eighth in the medal table but have caught up with South Africa on the number of gold medals: seven.

While Team Nigeria have three silver and six bronze medals, South Africa have seven silver and eight bronze medals.

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