Nigeria wrestlers, Emmanuel John and Esther Kolawole, Meanwhile departed the shores of the country for the last Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games World Qualifier to be held between May 6 and 9 at Sofia, Bulgaria.
Nation Sport reports that over 400 wrestlers from 84 countries have entered the World Qualifier in the last hope to adapt their country for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Every one of the 18 groups will have two tickets up for grabs, with semifinal winners securing their spots.
Both wrestlers abandoned the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos at 8:45 pm aboard Turkish Airline in the company of national women’s team coach Akuh Purity.
Five Nigerian wrestlers have already secured their credentials for its postponed Summer Games, which runs from 23 July to 8 August.
Discussing with Nation Sport, Purity confessed that the championship will be a demanding one but fancy the odds of wrestlers to fasten their qualifications.
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He said: “I am very optimistic about the Emmanuel and Esther though it is a 50-50 thing. This is because everyone going to Sofia would like to qualify but those that have more psychological strength will surely qualify. The way I see both of these, I’m very confident that they will select their tickets.
“This is the final hope for every wrestler in the whole planet to qualify for the Olympics. It is going to be hard for them but I am quite optimistic. I saw their final wrestling games and I will see that it’s not exactly the exact same story. They have additional ordinary skills in them. Their standard is high and I have 70-80 per cent confidence that they’ll make it.
“We have about eight Olympic medalists who haven’t qualified and they’ll be there. We have those who have just completed their trials within their nation and they’re coming there. We’ve got a lot of people coming along with my wrestlers are of the standard also. We are talking about getting awards in the Olympics and this really is a proper place you can prove yourself,” Purity added.
