Accra, March 21, 2024, Samuel Jackson, President, Arm Wrestling Federation of Nigeria says Nigeria has big potential in the sport.
Jackson spoke against the backdrop of Team Nigeria having won 4 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze medals in the arm wrestling event at the 13th African Games.
Jackson, also the President of African Arm Wrestling Federation, said Nigeria is the first country to win gold in arm wrestling in the African Games, as it is the first time the sport featured in the continental Games.
“We were expecting 6 gold medals, but we won four. We know our own areas of strength, fortunately, Nigeria and Ghana are on the same level. But, Ghana has done a lot of good work, they won 8 gold medals at the Games.
“We have learned lessons from the African Games, which we will take home and prepare for the African Championship taking place in Togo next year,’’ he said.
Jackson said the federation had a three-year plan to prepare for future championships.
“When we get back to Nigeria, we need to build on our capacity on the technical side, sensitise our athletes on modern ways in the game to avoid issues we had at the African Games,’’ he said.
Jackson said the federation would take the game to schools, especially tertiary institutions.
“Currently, arm wrestling is part of World University Games. We need to tell our National Universities Games Association (NUGA) to see why the undergraduates need to be part of our story because they are students, their brains are sharp.
“We want some of them (students) to go into officiating and coaching, while we develop other areas for the athletes,” he said.
The President said the federation has been to the University of Lagos to enlighten them on the sport.
He said that a Nigerian open arm wrestling championship will be held before the end of the year to select good athletes for the African Open Championship in Togo. (GBN).
