TEAM Nigeria to the 2018 Cadet World Wrestling Championships will depart for Zagreb, Croatia via Turkish Airline at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, 8.30pm on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the contingent is made up of two female wrestlers: Sunmisola Balogun (65kg) and Esther Kolawole (61kg) and a coach.

They are expected to arrive Zagreb on Tuesday for the competition which will run from July 2 to July 8.

Balogun and Kolawole are the reigning African champions, having won gold at the 2018 African Championships in Port Harcourt in February.

The two wrestlers hoped to make Nigeria proud at the event, designed for athletes between 15 and 17 year-olds and will be guided by Head Coach of the female national team, Purity Akuh.

Balogun will open her campaign on July 4 after undergoing compulsory medical test and weigh-in same day while Kolawole will begin her quest for glory on July 5.

This is the first time Nigeria will be participating in the Cadet World Championships since its inception in 1975.

Purity told NAN that the wrestlers were well prepared for the championships and expressed confidence in their chances of excelling in the competition.

“After the African Championships in February, we started preparations, we have been working on how our athletes can perform better at world level, ” he said.

The Delta-born coach described the competition as “a very good opportunity for these two athletes in terms of exposure and gaining more experience in their career.

“I think it will really help them, especially, Balogun, who has qualified for the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

“It is going to be a very good opportunity for her to be exposed and get more experience.” (NAN)

– Jul. 2, 2018 @ 12:55 GMT |