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Tokyo 2020: Flag bearer role excites medal hopeful Adekuoroye

Nigeria’s wrestling sensation, Odunayo Adekuoroye, is excited about her role as the country’s flag bearer at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games which officially gets underway on Friday. Adekuoroye said she was looking forward to the opening ceremony in which she will lead out other Nigerian athletes in the march past. She said it was a…

Nigeria’s Odunayo Adekuoroye celebrates beating India’s Pooja Dhanda in their women’s freestyle 57kg gold medal wrestling match at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Photo: Ye Aung Thu/AFP

Nigeria’s wrestling sensation, Odunayo Adekuoroye, is excited about her role as the country’s flag bearer at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games which officially gets underway on Friday.

Adekuoroye said she was looking forward to the opening ceremony in which she will lead out other Nigerian athletes in the march past.

She said it was a big honour for her to be chosen to play the role for a country of over 200 million people.

The wrestler, who competes in the women’s 56kg category, said: “The news of my role at the Games came to me as a shock. I am so happy to be chosen and I will do my best both for the flag bearer role and in the events proper.

“I have people here around me putting me through. Aunty Funke has played that role two or three times and I’m talking to her to put me through on the expectations,” she said, referring to African table tennis legend and seven-time Olympian Funke Oshonaike.

She added: “It is a big honour and I am so elated. I can’t wait to lead the team out on Friday.”

On the wrestling event proper, Adekuoroye said she has been working, and continues to work hard to be at her best at the Games.

“We have many other top wrestlers with similar aspirations here in Tokyo but I am focused to go all the way,” the wrestler stressed.

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