Blessing Oborududu: The First Nigerian Wrestler To Win An Olympic Medal

A Nigerian wrestler has won an Olympic medal for the first time in the history of the Olympic games, Blessing Oborududu is the one to thank. The 32-year-old has become the first Nigerian wrestler in history to win an Olympic medal. Blessing Oborududu won the silver medal in the 68kg women’s wrestling freestyle at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympic games.

The Nigerian defeated Battsetseg Soronzoboldyn of Mongolia 7-2 to reach the final where she faced Tamyra Mensah-Stock of America the eventual winner. The American won 4-1. However, Blessing Oborududu has earned herself a place in the history books.

Blessing Oborududu is not a new name when it comes to wrestling. She’s the current world number two woman wrestler and has won nine African championship gold medals and one bronze medal. She won silver at the 2021 Poland Open Championship, three Commonwealth Games medals and one Islamic solidarity games medal.

“Even when things were not going well for Team Nigeria in Tokyo with other athletes, I said to myself, I will make Nigeria proud”

Blessing Oborududu before the final

List of medals won by Blessing Oborududu

• Silver medal 🥇 Tokyo 2020 Olympic games
• Silver medal 🥇 Poland 2021
• African Wrestling Championships: Gold medal – first place 2020 Algiers, Gold medal 🥇 2019 Hammamet, Gold medal – first place 2018 Port Harcourt, Gold medal – first place 2017 Marrakesh, Gold medal – first place 2016 Alexandria, Gold medal – first place 2015 Alexandria, Gold medal – first place 2014 Tunis,
  Gold medal – first place 2013 N’Djamena, Gold medal – first place 2011 Dakar, Gold medal – first place 2010 Cairo, Bronze medal – third place 2009 Casablanca 59