The invitational tournament, which will feature the top 5
wrestlers in the six Olympic weight classes in Women Wrestling and Freestyle
events, will take place at the ultra-modern Theatre of Wrestling Complex,
Yenizue Gene from 15th to 18th January, 2021 under strict Covid-19 compliance.
It would mark the return to competition for Nigerian
wrestlers, who last competed at the 2020 African Senior Wrestling Championships
in Algeria nearly a year ago, no thanks to the outbreak of coronavirus
pandemic.
NWF President and sponsor of the competition Hon. Daniel
Igali said the Champion of Champions invitational tourney will help put the
country’s ‘Olympic hopefuls’ in prime shape and ready for the 2021 African
Championships and Africa/Oceania Olympic qualifiers both in El Jadida, Morocco
in early April.
“The Champion of Champions (tournament) is an initiative of
mine, and the reason for it is to get our Olympic hopefuls prepared for the
African Championships and the Africa/Oceania Olympic qualification tournament
coming up in early April,” the World and Olympic gold-medalist said.
“The goal for this tournament is to have the top 5 athletes
in the Olympic weight classes to square off. So, all five of them will square
off against each other.
“So, they’ll have four quality matches in the middle of
January, just to get them prepared and to set the stage for the rest of the
season.”
The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youth and Sports
Development also disclosed that prizes will be awarded to the eventual
champions, adding that the federation will observe the prevailing Covid-19
protocols in the course of the tournament.
“We plan to have prizes for them (the champions),” he
disclosed. “Baraza Multi-Purpose Society will help with some prizes. We are going
to get details in the coming week.
“It (the tournament) will be Covid-19 compliant. We are only
going to allow the required number of people in the hall – just the coaches,
the referees, the wrestlers and very essential staff. So, we are not hoping to
have more than 80 people in the hall for this competition.”
Interestingly, the competition is at no cost for the
participants, as the NWF have decided to take care of the transportation,
accommodation and feeding of the athletes, coaches and referees.