‘’Cash reward motivates athletes to go extra mile’’- Morris Atula
The chairman of the Edo State Wrestling Association, Morris Atula, has emphasized that to get the best out of athletes, coaches should help athletes meet the two most important needs which are to have fun and to feel worthy when performing. “Coaches should help athletes feel worthy by making them feel competent and successful. Coaches can help reduce an athlete’s fear of failure, encourage team work, commend successes no matter the size and in all athletes should be well remunerated for their performances so as to get the best out of them.”
Morris Atula, the Chairman, Edo Wrestling Association
Atula, a former professional wrestling World Light Heavy weight champion and titleholder who sponsored the recently concluded Morris Atula Invitational Wrestling Tournament where winners have been rewarded handsomely to the tune of N1.5 million, has promised to do more all in an effort to raise future world champions in this chosen field. “The tournament was geared towards ensuring the full development of young people’s potential through the ‘catch them young’ project which the championship represents. The provision of strategic championship supportive networks and initiatives for character development, entrepreneurial activities, sports and community-based civic initiatives would enable us to achieve the needful,” he further explained.
6 year old Ogiemwonyi Osaretin, the face of Edo Wrestling
A breakdown of the monetary reward shows that gold medalists got a cash prize of N20,000 each while the silver and bronze medalists each went home with N15,000 and N10,000 respectively. All the athletes were also presented with certificates of participation.
The championship, which has been hailed by wrestling stakeholders as a necessary platform for grassroots development of the mats man game in the country, was held at the Gymnasium Hall of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, the Edo State Capital, and attracted fighters from four states and two wrestling clubs namely; the host state, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Anambra, Morris Atula and Onyebuchi Wrestling Clubs.
The championship provided action-filled events as athletes squared off in different weight categories for senior and cadet levels for both male and females on the mat as wrestling officials, stakeholders and fans from across different parts of Nigeria watched.
Action time
After a series of big battles and a show of strength and resilience from the amateur wrestlers, Bright Irobekham from Edo state won gold in the 72kg male Greeco-Roman division with Nnaemeka K.C. from Anambra State winning silver while Joseph Anthony from Delta claimed the bronze In the 60kg male Greeco/Roman division. Dick Enenibodi from Edo state won gold with ThankGod Destiny from the Atula Wrestling Club winning silver.
For the senior female category, Nwoye Ifeoma from Anambra State took the gold while Juliet Amakoro from the Atula Wrestling Club won silver with Kate Umunna from Edo State claiming the bronze. In the 55kg weight category, Ozioma Joseph of Delta State emerged victorious to claim the gold medal; Rita Odede of Edo State won Silver with Ayo Esewi of the Onyebuchi Wrestling Club walking away with the bronze while in the 57kg category Faith Esosuokpo finished first to win gold.
Certificates and cash award presentations to the athletes
The Invitational Wrestling Championship also saw thrilling action from the cadet level where Olaye Mattew from Kogi State finished first in the 41kg weight category to win gold while Destiny Isa from Edo state claimed silver with Oriakhi Kelvin from the Onyebuchi Wrestling Club going home with the bronze medal. Also In the 44Kg event of the cadet category, Akore Surly of Onyebuchi Wrestling Club won gold just as Godspower Steve and Kelvin Erhunwerie won silver and bronze respectively.
Certificates and cash award presentations to the athletes in different categories
In the cadet male division, Kingsley Tonye from Edo state claimed gold in the 33kg category with Atonwa Chukwuebuka from Anamba State winning silver and the bronze medal going to Alabi Osaretin of Kogi State while in the 30kg Iho Uhonoma representing Kogi State finished first, Osasuyi Osamwonyi from Edo State came second with Adodo Abraham claiming the third position.
At the end of the exciting tournament, Edo State finished first in the overall medal table with 11 gold, 6 silver and 2 bronze . Anambra State finished second with 3 gold and 3 silver. Kogi State went home with 3 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze to finish third. Morris Atula Wrestling Club came in fourth with 2 gold, 2 Silver and 1 bronze while Onyebuchi Wrestling Club won 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze to finish fifth with Delta State finishing sixth with 1 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze.
At the end of the tournament, former World Light pro-wrestling Heavyweight Champion Morris Atula also said that the timely Championship is capable of producing the future champions of the mat sport from our part of the world at the local government level, nationally, continentally and even world champions.
In their various closing remarks, wrestling stakeholders used the occasion to heap praises on Morris Atula for his singular efforts at developing the sports at the grassroots level just as they charged other states to emulate him and his sincerity to grassroots sports development. It would be recalled that the Edo State Local government edition which saw Ogiemwonyi Osaretin emerge as the overall winner and face of the championship took place last year July accommodating only wrestlers from Edo State, but this edition becomes bigger with six teams and four states taking part in it. Meanwhile, Morris Atula has assured that the next edition will hold in the coming year at Lokoja, Kogi State.
