Nigeria’s Olympic campaign at the Paris 2024 Games took another disappointing turn as Odunayo Adekuoroye suffered a heartbreaking quarterfinal defeat in the women’s 57kg wrestling event on Thursday.
After showing promise by winning her second-round match against Fouzia Aouissi via Victory by Injury (VIN), Adekuoroye faced China’s Kexin Hong in the quarterfinals. Despite building a 4-0 lead, Adekuoroye was unable to hold on as Hong staged a dramatic comeback, scoring eight points in rapid succession to secure a 10-8 victory.
This loss is a significant setback for Nigeria’s medal hopes in wrestling. Adekuoroye’s only remaining chance for redemption lies in the repechage round, but only if Hong advances to the final.
Earlier in the week, Nigeria’s hopes were further dashed when Blessing Oborududu, a Silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympic Games, was defeated in her bronze medal match on Tuesday.
The Nigerian wrestling community now anxiously awaits the outcome of Hong’s next match, hoping it will provide Adekuoroye with another opportunity to compete for Olympic glory.
