NWF opens Iowa camp for Nigerian wrestlers before world championships

The Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) is establishing a training camp at Iowa State University in the United States as part of preparations for the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, scheduled for October 24 to November 1.

The initiative is designed to bring more wrestlers of Nigerian descent into the national team structure while improving the country’s results at international competitions. NWF president CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has approved the plan ahead of the global championship.

The camp will bring together Nigerian wrestlers living in different parts of the United States for collective preparation. It will also include some of Nigeria’s leading wrestlers who are currently studying at American universities.

Home-based wrestlers with valid United States visas are expected to take part in the programme alongside the athletes already based in the country. The arrangement gives the federation a wider group of wrestlers to assess before final preparations for the championships.

The programme will also be available to new athletes seeking a place in Nigeria’s national wrestling team. Through the camp, the NWF intends to identify promising competitors and assess how they can be incorporated into the national setup.

Nigerian-born athletes living in the United States will also be able to participate, provided they are eligible and prepared to represent Nigeria. The federation’s approach therefore covers both established wrestlers and potential new additions from the Nigerian diaspora.

The Iowa camp forms part of the NWF’s broader preparation for the World Wrestling Championships. It will give the federation an opportunity to assemble athletes from the United States and Nigeria in one training programme while continuing its search for wrestlers capable of contributing to the national team.