African Games gold medalist, Mercy Genesis will begin her campaign at the 2019 Senior Wrestling World Championships against Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan in a Qualification match of the 50kg women’s wrestling in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, NationSport report.
The African champion who is ranked number 20 in the world will battle against the former world champion, who is regarded as Azerbaijan’s most successful woman wrestler on mat D at the Barys Arena.
The 31 year old Stadnik in is ranked number six and is the youngest sportswoman in history to win an Olympic medal for Azerbaijan at the age of 21 at Beijing Olympics in 2008.
She went on to win medals at two more Olympics, taking bronze at London 2012 and silver at the 2016 Rio Games, while earning many world and European titles.
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If Genesis manages to get past Stadnik, she will have to lock horns with world number three, Seema Bisla of India in the pre-quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, the remaining Nigeria female wrestlers, Odunayo Adekuoroye (57kg), Blessing Oborududu (68kg), Aminat Adeniyi (62kg) and Blessing Onyebuchi (76kg) will know their opponents after today’s draw.