The Ghanaian- USA Tamyra Mensah-Stock has ended her Olympic debut on a high, winning gold in the women’s freestyle 68kg in a 4-1 victory of Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu at the Olympic Games Tokyo.
It was a remarkable moment as the two champs battled each other in the finals of freestyle 68kg women wrestling in the just ended Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games. The prowess and strength of the two females were felt as Ghanaian – USA Tamyra Mensah and Nigeria’s Oborududu defeated their amazing competitors respectively till they made it to the finals.
Mensah-Stock won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics on August 3, 2021, and which has become a historical moment in the history of wrestling.
It is a story of determination for Mensah-Stock who almost quit wrestling after her Ghanian father’s fatal car accident, on his way home from one of her high school wrestling matches. She blamed wrestling for her father’s untimely demise. She saw him as her biggest supporter. Through endurance, she has achieved big and it was all worth it.
On the other hand, Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu also won a prestigious silver. She is currently ranked as the world’s number two woman wrestler and also the first wrestler to win an Olympic medal representing Nigeria at the Olympics.
Amazingly, she is a ten times African Champion in Women wrestling.
Her story is also one of courage and a fighting spirit. Blessing Oborududu stated,
“When I was growing, my parents used to tell me wrestling is for boys and not for girls,” she recalled in an interview with Olympic Channel.
“But when I saw female wrestlers shining in the sport and traveling outside the country, I said I want to be traveling like them, I want to do this thing [wrestling].”
Despite becoming popular in wrestling in Nigeria, it took extra convincing to show her full potential.
Amazing talents and potentials are embedded in Africans. The story above is an example of many African talent and achievements that are yet to be revealed.
