Nigerian Freestyle wrestlers, Amas Daniel, Melvin Bobo and John Ogbonna Emmanuel won gold medals to retain their African title in Seniors Freestyle category on Day four of the 2018 African Wrestling Championship in Port Harcourt.
Amas, captain of Nigeria’s Men’s Team, became an African Champion for the 6th time after overpowering Tunisia’s Haithem Dakhlaoui 7-2 in the final of the Seniors Freestyle 65kg.
Ekerekeme Agiomor also recorded an emphatic 11-0 win via technical superiority in the 79kg class against Fredylan Marais of South Africa to land his first continental crown, and afterwards, thrilled the crowd with Usain Bolt-like celebrations and some great dancing steps.
Having conquered Africa on six different occasions now, Amas says his focus will be on winning greater titles like the Commonwealth and Olympics Games.
“I’m so excited, honestly, but I would also say not too much because my focus and where I want to arrive is not to be an African Champion,” the 2014 Commonwealth Games silver-medalist said.
“I really want to be an Olympic Champion; I want to be a Commonwealth Champion.”
John Ogbonna Emmanuel also laboured very hard to defend his title in the 70kg class after being pushed to the limit by Egypt’s Amr Reda Hussein in the final.
Hussein thought he had won the fight by criteria with scores at 2-2, but a challenge by Ogbonna’s coach handed the decision over to the Nigerian, who eventually claimed his second consecutive African title.
Perhaps, the most impressive performance of the night goes to Melvin Bibo (86kg), who took out his South African opponent, Hein Jansel Van, 10-0 via technical superiority inside the first round, to hand Nigeria a 4th gold medal in the Freestyle for Seniors.
Meanwhile, three-time African Champion and 2010 Commonwealth gold-medalist Sinivie Boltic failed in his quest to land a 4th continental title, surrendering 2-1 to Egyptian Khaled Mohamed Abdala in the final of the 125kg event.
Soso Tamarau (97kg), Ebikewenimo Welson (57kg) and Robert Daufa (92kg) all won silver while Firstman Victor (61kg) settled for a bronze medal.
After Day four of action, Team Nigeria emerged winners of the Seniors Freestyle category with four gold, four silver and one bronze medal.
South Africa finished second with two gold, two silver and a bronze medal, same as Egypt who placed third in the Team’s classification.