It is all excitement for wrestling sensation and medal hopeful, Odunayo Adekuoroye, for being chosen as Nigeria’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games flagging-off on Friday, July 23, 2021, inside Japan’s New National Stadium in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo.
The 27-year-old freestyle wrestler is keenly looking forward to the opening ceremony in which she will lead out other Nigerian athletes in the March Past, noting that in a country of over 200 million people, it is a big honour and privilege to be recognised for such an important role at the global sporting spectacle.
Speaking at the Olympic village, the 56kg wrestler said: “The news of my role at the games came to me as a shock. I am so happy to be chosen and I will do my best both for the flag bearer role and in the events proper.
“I have people here around me putting me through. Aunty Funke (Oshonaike) has played that role two or three times and I’m talking to her to put me through on the expectations.”
For Adekuoroye, who is a 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, “It is a big honour and I am so elated. I can’t wait to lead the team out on Friday.”
Looking ahead to the wrestling event at the games, Adekuoroye, a 2015 World Wrestling Championships bronze medal winner, said she is working hard to peak and be at her best during the games.
According to her, though there are “many other top wrestlers with similar aspirations here in Tokyo, I am focused to go all the way.”
Born on December 10, 1993, the Ondo State wrestler, who stands at 1.69 metres, also won the silver medal at the women’s freestyle 55 kilograms 2017 World Wrestling Championships – With agency reports
