Dr Daniel Igali knows a potential medalist when he sees one. For a man who won gold in the Olympics, the Nigerian is in a better position to say which wrestler is as good as a medalist.  And he said yesterday that 2016 Olympics would be better for Nigerian Wrestlers than London 2012.

‘’Realistically, I am looking forward to 2016. That is a time I can predict without looking back to tell you what Nigerian Wrestlers can do. We have very good talented Wrestlers but you know that the Olympics is not something you prepare in one year or six months. That is why I am taking it upon myself to do everything possible for these crop of wrestlers for the 2016 Olympics.

“Right now, we are in the middle of the pack. I am not going to wait for anybody to put them through immediately after this Olympics. By the time they attain three World Championships, I can beat my chest and tell you which tree will grow and which one that will not grow”,  said Igali who is also  Honourable member of Bayelsa House of Assembly.

Are you saying that there is no Daniel Igali currently in the Nigerian Wrestling team? He smiled and said that ‘’there is only one Daniel Igali but we have a lot of potentials. They are good but they need experience and that is why I am pointing to 2016 Olympics”.

That, however, does not mean that the Nigerian mats-men and women would not pull off their stunts. ‘’Definitely, they are not here for a Circus. They are here to compete and to win. But  I am a realist”, Igali stated.

Nigeria is presenting four Wrestlers, two males and two females at the Olympics. They are Boltic Sinivie(96kg Freestyle), Dick Adibo(84kg Freestyle) and Obiajunwa Amarachi(72kg Freestyle and Oborodudu Blessing(63kg Freestyle).