Sports analyst Anthony Samuel Sunday has tipped Nigerian wrestling star Esther Omolayo Kolawole for future world championship glory, describing the Akure-born athlete as a determined competitor whose resilience and consistency have distinguished her on the international stage.
Speaking in an interview with Sports247, Sunday praised Kolawole’s impressive journey, highlighting her achievements, fighting spirit and ability to recover from setbacks as qualities that could propel her to the pinnacle of world wrestling.
Read Also: Abia Reinforces Status As Home Of Teqball As Delta Dominates World Championship Qualifiers, Five Entries Book Budapest Tickets | Sports247 Nigeria
Sunday believes Kolawole possesses the qualities required to compete successfully against the world’s best wrestlers.
“What an incredible performance from Esther Omolayo Kolawole,” he said.
“I must first acknowledge that the Owena lady from Akure has the trajectory of a potential world champion. She has been representing Nigeria in wrestling competitions for a while now and has consistently demonstrated her quality.”
The analyst noted that Kolawole’s development has been built on years of dedication, competitive experience and determination. Reflecting on her career, Sunday recalled several milestones that established Kolawole as one of Nigeria’s promising wrestling talents.
In 2018, she won gold at the African Youth Games before becoming a national wrestling champion in December of the same year. Her impressive progress continued in 2020 when she secured gold at the African Wrestling Championships in Algiers, Algeria.
Kolawole further demonstrated her international credentials at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where she claimed bronze in the women’s 62kg category.
Sunday believes these accomplishments reflect her ability to compete at different levels while maintaining a strong desire for success
Beyond her medals, Sunday identified Kolawole’s mental strength as one of her greatest assets. He acknowledged that the Nigerian wrestler has experienced defeats but maintained that her ability to recover demonstrates the character required of a champion.
“When you have fallen before and rise again, it shows the strength in you,” Sunday explained.
He added that her winning mentality could provide a psychological advantage against future opponents.
With years of international experience behind her, Kolawole remains an important figure in Nigeria’s wrestling development. Sunday believes her combination of experience, determination and competitive hunger gives her a genuine opportunity to challenge for greater honours.
For the sports analyst, Kolawole’s journey is not simply about medals already won but about the possibility of becoming one of Nigeria’s next world wrestling champions.
