{
  "id": 13037507,
  "title": "Adeniyi lauds Nigeria’s Veterans World Wrestling Champs medal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/adeniyi-lauds-nigerias-veterans-world-wrestling-champs-medal",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T05:34:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/adeniyi-lauds-nigerias-veterans-world-wrestling-champs-medal/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bashir Adeniyi, President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, expressed his congratulations to Team Nigeria on securing their first-ever medal at the Veterans World Wrestling Championships held in Amman, Jordan. The medal was won by Elias Mika, a former national champion, who triumphed in the 70kg Greco-Roman category, becoming the first Nigerian veteran wrestler to achieve such a feat. The championships, organized by United World Wrestling, took place from October 6 to 11 and featured both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling categories for athletes aged 35 and above. In a statement on behalf of the federation's board, Adeniyi lauded Mika and veteran coach Babatunde James, also known as Tunde King, for their pivotal roles in Mika's success. He emphasized that Mika's dedication and passion for the sport, even after retiring, demonstrated the unwavering commitment of Nigeria's veterans to the advancement of wrestling. Adeniyi highlighted that this historic achievement marked a significant milestone for Nigeria and the wrestling community at large, underscoring the enduring dedication of the country's veterans to the sport. He further noted that the medal had solidified Nigeria's position in the global veterans wrestling circuit and bolstered the nation's reputation in the sport. Adeniyi noted that the experience of former athletes could serve as a source of inspiration and mentorship for the younger generation of wrestlers. He also disclosed that the federation had incorporated veteran wrestling into its strategic plan to acknowledge the contributions of former athletes and maintain their engagement with the sport. Adeniyi assured that the current board would continue to support the welfare and involvement of these veterans, ensuring their continued contributions to the advancement of wrestling in Nigeria.",
  "summary": "Nigeria Wrestling Federation President Bashir Adeniyi has praised Elias Mika for winning the country’s first-ever medal at the Veterans World Wrestling Cha Read More: https://punchng.com/adeniyi-lauds-nigerias-veterans-world-wrestling-champs-medal/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "Nigeria's first-ever medal at the Veterans World Wrestling Championships cements its position in the global veterans wrestling circuit and underscores the country's enduring dedication to the sport.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Adeniyi lauds Nigeria’s Veterans World Wrestling Champs medal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/adeniyi-lauds-nigerias-veterans-world-wrestling-champs-medal-13039628",
        "published": "2026-10-09T05:46:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}