The Nigerian Wrestling team has departed Madrid, for Germany in their final training camp ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris.

The wrestlers had participated in the Spanish Grand Prix, a pre-Olympic tournament in Madrid, where Esther Kolawole (62kg) and Ogunsanya Christinah (53kg) both secured bronze medals for Team Nigeria.

Ogunsanya triumphed over her USA counterpart Brianne Gonzales (10-0) to claim the bronze medal, while Kolawole defeated Sweden’s Johanna Lindborg (8-0) to also win bronze.

Multiple-time world medalist Odunayo Adekuoroye narrowly lost (4-4) on technical grounds to Norway’s Othile Hole in the quarter-finals.

Similarly, African champion Hannah Reuben was defeated in her first bout by Colombia’s Tatiana R. (3-0).

Reacting to the team’s performance, head coach Akuh Purity viewed it as a valuable opportunity for the wrestlers to warm up ahead of the Paris Games.

“It was a good outing for our girls in the sense that it offered us the opportunity to look at areas we needed to improve on.”

“It also gave the wrestlers the avenue to wrestle competitively although not as if it were to be in Paris, but it was great and we have known areas we need to improve upon,” Purity stated.

Before the team’s departure for Germany on Monday, the Nigeria Wrestling Federation President, Daniel Igali, encouraged the team to learn from their experiences in Madrid for their technical advantage.

The 2024 Olympic Games will begin on 26th July to August 11 in Paris.