By Victor Kanayo
Egypt is currently on top of the medals’ table in the ongoing 13th African Games in Ghana.
The North African nation boost of 66 medals, comprising of 36 gold, 14 silver and 16 bronze.
Heritage Times HT reports that South Africa and Algeria with eight gold medals apiece are pitched on second and third positions respectively.
Team Nigeria Gold Haul
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria wrestlers on Sunday night in Ghana were the cynosure of all eyes as they strolled to seven gold medals in the games. Mercy Genesis set the tone for the night by winning the first gold for the country in Wrestling.
Ogunsanya Christiana fighting in the 53kg won the second gold medal followed by Esther Kolawole while Blessings Oborodudu added one to the medal haul.
Oborodudu, an Olympic silver medalist led by exemple as captain of Nigerian Wrestlers to defeat Blandine Nyeh Ngiri of Cameroon 14-4.
Then, Multiple world medalist Odunayo Adekuoroye followed Blessing’s footsteps by beating Zineb Hassoune of Morocco with pinfal.
Hannah Reuben added more celebration to the already agog atmosphere after she defeated Amy Youin of Ivory Coast.
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Wrestling event continues on Monday as men freestyle wrestlers take to the mat.
First Strike In
Earlier in the day, before the gold rush in the wrestling event, Opeoluwa Opeyori won the first gold medal in the badminton event for Nigeria beating compatriot, Godwin Olofua 23/21, 17/21, 15/21 in the Men’s Singles finals.
With the result, Nigeria scooped the gold, silver and bronze by semi-finalist, Ikechukwu Victor.
In addition to the bronze medal won by Victor Ikechukwu in the Men’s Singles, Dorcas Adesokan in Women’s Singles also combined with Sofiat Obanishola to win another bronze in the Women’s Doubles.
Dollar Bonuses
Meanwhile, Nigerian athletes participating in the 13th edition of the African Games taking place in Ghana will go home with $3,000, about N3.5m should they win gold in any of the events.
This was confirmed during a meeting with the athletes in Accra, where the Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh, reassured them of government’s commitment to their welfare.
According to him, Silver medalists will get $2,000, while bronze medalists will get $1,000 but this does not include other camp allowances which athletes will be entitled to.
The development seems to have ignited passion for victory amongst the athletes as news of team Nigeria reaching semi-final and finals in several events have filled the air as at the time of filling this report.
Punctured Dominance
Similarly, the winning streak of Egypt in the table tennis event of the 13th African Games has been broken as Algeria claimed the men’s doubles gold medal at the Accra International Conference Centre in Ghana.
Egypt has claimed six of the seven titles at stake in the table tennis event but Algeria’s duo of Mehdi Bouloussa and Stephane Ouaiche came to the party in the final against Egyptian duo of Khalid Assar and Mohamed Shouman being the last match of the table tennis event of the games.
It was the Egyptians that took a lead after winning the first match at 11- 9 but the Algerians fought back to win the second and third games at 11-6, 11-9. But the Egyptians were not ready to let go as they won the fought game at 11-7 to put the match at 2-2.
The fifth and final game ended 11-7 in favour of the Algerians who claimed their first gold medal of the table tennis event to become the second best team in Ghana.
However, Nigeria and Tunisia settled for bronze medals in the doubles event but again the Egyptians claimed the overall medals with six gold medals, while Algeria won one gold while Nigeria’s duo of Taiwo Mati and Matthew Kutti settled for bronze in the men’s doubles.
