Nigeria has celebrated a landmark result at the Veterans World Wrestling Championships in Amman, Jordan, where Mapsin Elias Mika secured the country’s first medal in the competition.
Key takeaways
- Mapsin Elias Mika claimed bronze in the 70kg Greco-Roman division.
- His podium finish is Nigeria’s first at the Veterans World Wrestling Championships.
- The event in Amman is being staged from October 6 to 11, 2026.
- Nigeria Wrestling Federation president Bashir Adewale Adeniyi praised Mika and coach Babatunde James.
- The federation says veterans’ wrestling is part of its long-term development plans.
Historic medal in Amman
Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, president of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, hailed Team Nigeria after its breakthrough medal at the global veterans tournament in Jordan.
Mika, a former Nigerian champion, took third place in the 70kg Greco-Roman class, becoming the first Nigerian wrestler to win a medal at the championships in the veterans category.
United World Wrestling is staging the championships between October 6 and October 11, 2026. The programme includes Greco-Roman and freestyle bouts for competitors aged 35 and older, divided into several age-group classifications.
Federation praises wrestler and coach
Speaking for the NWF Board, Adeniyi also recognised veteran coach Babatunde James, widely known as Tunde King, for guiding Mika during the tournament.
“On behalf of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation Board, I congratulate Mapsin Elias Mika and Tunde King on this historic feat,” Adeniyi said. “It is a hugely proud occasion for Nigeria and for the wider wrestling community.”
He said their continued commitment after their competitive careers showed how strongly former athletes remain invested in the sport’s progress. Adeniyi added that placing Nigeria in the history books of world veterans wrestling would enhance the country’s expanding standing and profile internationally.
Adeniyi said the bronze medal highlighted the importance of veterans to wrestling’s development, noting that retired competitors can use their knowledge and experience to motivate and guide emerging wrestlers.
He added that veterans’ wrestling has been included in the federation’s strategic framework during his administration, both to honour former competitors and to maintain their involvement in the sport. The NWF Board, he said, will keep backing programmes aimed at supporting veterans’ welfare and participation.
