Mourning Adekuoroye Wins Bronze, Dedicates it to Brother’s Late Wife
Odunayo Adekuoroye (left) on the podium after defeating Anastasia Nichita of Moldova 10-0 to claim the bronze medal of the World Championship in Kazakhstan…Thursday
- WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Nigeria’s Odunayo Adekuoroye Thursday momentarily put aside her grieving over the death of her brother’s wife to win a bronze medal in the 57kg category of the ongoing 2019 Senior World Wrestling Championship in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
The medal is her second World Championship bronze having similarly picked the first at the last edition two years ago in Paris, France.
The African champion defeated Anastasia Nichita of Moldova 10-0 via technical superiority in the battle for the bronze.
The Ondo State-born wrestler had earlier on Wednesday qualified for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan following her defeat of North Korea’s Sun Jong 12-2 via technical superiority to reach the semi final. She however lost the battle to reach the final of the 57kg category as she was outclassed by two-time world and Olympic champion, Risako Kauai of Japan 6-1.
Adekuoroye whose career is backed by the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry’s General Overseer, Dr. D.K. Olukoya, displayed an uncommon valour leading to her winning the bronze medal yesterday.
Just few hours before taking to the mat to battle for the bronze, Adekuoroye received a shocking telephone call from Nigeria that her brother’s wife who she was very fond of had died after a brief illness.
“ When I received the news I was in tears. I was confused and nothing mattered to me at that moment. But my brother whose wife died comforted me and begged me to go ahead with my event. He told me that the best memory I can leave for his late wife is to win the bronze and dedicate it her,” observed Adekuoroye in her post fight interview monitored on television yesterday.
“ This is the reason I am dedicating this my 2019 Senior World Wrestling bronze medal to my late brother’s wife,” gushed the petit lady who is one of the five female wrestlers representing Nigeria at the world event in Kazakhstan.
According to Insidethegames, in the women’s 53kg final, North Korea’s Pak Yong Mi was an overwhelming victor against Japan’s Mayu Mukaida, by a margin of 12-2.
Bronze medals went to India’s Vinesh Phogat, who won by a fall against Maria Prevolaraki of Greece, and Pang Qianyu of China, who won by an injury default against Poland’s Roksana Zasina.
Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan was an overwhelming winner over Romania’s Alina Vuc in the 50kg final, taking the decision 11-0.
There was satisfaction for the home crowd as Valentina Islamova Brik won 50kg bronze by a fall, over Ukraine’s Oksana Livach, while the other bronze went to Ekaterina Poleshchuk on judges’ decision after finishing 9-9 with China’s Sun Yanan.
Russia’s gold was contributed in the 72kg final by Natalia Vorobeva, who beat Ukraine’s Alina Makhynia 4-0.
Japan’s Masako Furuichi earned bronze with a 2-0 win over home wrestler Zhamila Bakbergenova, while the other bronze went to Paliha Paliha of China, thanks to a 2-1 victory over Victoria Francis of the United States.
After day five, Japan lead the women’s rankings with 61 points, ahead of Russia on 55 and China 42.
All wrestlers who advance to the semi-finals in Olympic weight secure a berth for their country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
