Team Nigeria kicked off the 13th edition of the All African Games on Sunday in Accra, Ghana’s capital.
The Games began on March 8 and will end on March 23, 2024.
The medal rush began with an all-men’s Nigerian final in badminton between Godwin Olofua and Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori.
Opeyori, the defending champion, overcame Olofua (2-1) despite losing the first set. This was Nigeria’s first gold medal in the Games.
Nigeria advanced to the finals of all women’s freestyle wrestling events, capturing all six gold medals.
Mercy Miesinnei Genesis dominated Egypt’s Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla Mohammed (7-0) in the women’s 50kg event.
In the women’s 53kg event, Christiana Tolulope Ogunsanya defeated her Ivorian opponent, Nogona Celine-Jose’e Bakayoko, 11-0.
Then came the dependable Odunayo Folashade Adekuoroye, who needed only 24 seconds to defeat her Moroccan opponent, Zineb Hassoune, 6-0, in the 57kg category.
The gold medal rush continued with multiple champions Esther Omolayo Kolawole and Blessing Oborodudu, who easily defeated their opponents to win gold in both events.
While Kolawole defeated Egypt’s Gharam Mahmoud Askar (11-0) in the 62kg category, Oborodudu defeated Cameroon’s Biandine Ngiri (14-4) in the 68kg category.
Hannah Amuchechi Reuben defeated Ivory Coast’s Amy Youin (10-0) to earn Nigeria’s sixth gold medal in the 76kg category. Amuchechi is also a soldier in the Nigerian army.