President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, NWF, Dr. Daniel Igali revealed that Blessing Oborududu chose to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympics despite doctors from the Ministry of Sports Development advising against it.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Dr. Igali reflected philosophically on Oborududu’s quarterfinals loss on Tuesday, stating that her decision to compete while injured is “a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of daunting odds.”
Disclosing that the African and Commonwealth Champion had “a stress fracture on her femur ”, the NWF President said that, “the head doctors of the ministry of sports development, in their wisdom, deemed her unfit to partake in the battle of champions. Yet, Blessing refused to succumb to the whispers of doubt and despair”.
Dr. Igali revealed that Oborududu signed an undertaking that she would bear the consequences of her resolve to fight with the injury.
“With a pen in hand and determination in her heart, she penned an oath, shouldering the weight of her destiny with a steely resolve. Against the counsel of the wise, she ventured forth onto the hallowed mat, a warrior with a spirit unbroken. Her journey, marked by trials and tribulations, culminated in a valiant effort that fell just short in the bronze medal match, a testament to her unwavering spirit and dedication to her craft.”
Eulogising her as “a thread of gold, woven with the fibers of courage and honor”, Dr. Igali said that “the Nigeria wrestling federation is immensely proud of (Oborududu)”.