Nigerian wrestlers sharpen medal hopes after Oklahoma camp

Posted : 07 September 2026

The Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) has intensified Team Nigeria’s preparations for the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, after concluding an intensive open camp programme in Oklahoma, United States.

The camp, approved by NWF President Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, brought together Nigeria-based and foreign-based wrestlers who had the required visas, providing the athletes with an opportunity to train and compete in a highly competitive environment.

A major feature of the programme was a series of dual meets against wrestlers from various NCAA Division I schools in the United States, exposing the Nigerian contingent to quality opposition and providing the coaching crew with an opportunity to assess the athletes ahead of the global championship.

Nigeria’s Women’s Wrestling Head Coach, Akuh Purity, who supervised the exercise, described the camp as an important stage in the team’s preparations.

According to Purity, the dual meets offered the wrestlers an opportunity to test their current level while exposing technical and tactical areas that require attention before the World Championships.

“We continue to intensify our training and remain fully focused on improving our performance. Recently, we participated in an open camp in Oklahoma, where we had the opportunity to compete in duals against athletes from other Division 1 schools,” Purity said.

He said the team immediately moved into a closed camp after the open programme, where attention is now being directed towards correcting the weaknesses identified during the competitive sessions.

“It was a very valuable experience and gave us an excellent opportunity to assess where we currently stand. Following the open camp, we transitioned into a closed camp, where we are currently training.

“We are using this period to specifically address and correct some of the mistakes and weaknesses I identified during the open camp and duals,” he added.

Purity expressed satisfaction with the commitment of the athletes, saying the wrestlers had continued to work hard as the coaching crew fine-tunes their preparations.

“The girls are working extremely hard, and we remain committed to making the necessary improvements as we continue our preparation,” he said.

He also commended the NWF leadership under Adeniyi for creating the opportunity and providing the necessary support towards ensuring that the team is adequately prepared for the World Championships.

With the global competition drawing closer, the coaching crew will now focus on sharpening the athletes’ technical, tactical and physical attributes while addressing the deficiencies exposed during the Oklahoma camp.

The World Championships will also provide Nigeria with an opportunity to end its wait for another medal at the global wrestling showpiece. The country last recorded a podium finish in 2023.

The Nigerian contingent will therefore head into the Astana championship with the objective of breaking that medal drought and restoring the country to the World Championships podium.

Nigerian wrestlers sharpen medal hopes after Oklahoma camp

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