President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) Daniel Igali has said the just-concluded Governor Nyesom Wike National Wrestling Championships in Port Harcourt exceeded his expectations, describing the tournament as ‘fantastic’.

The one-week championships which served as a prelude to the 2018 Africa Senior Wrestling Championships to be staged in Port Harcourt for the first time in Nigeria’s history in February, ended on Thursday with Bayelsa State emerging overall winners with 19 gold medals.

Speaking exclusively to www.busybuddiesng.com, the Olympic Champion equally commended the Rivers Sate Governor for fulfilling all his promises during the tournament as well as all and sundry that made the tournament a ‘success’.

Asked his impression of the Championships, Igali said: “Fantastic! It’s been beyond my expectations.

“The Government of Rivers State was so magnanimous. The Governor-Nyesom Wike himself was so committed to his promises to ensure we had a hitch-free tournament, not only in terms of security but in terms of the funding of the tournament.

“The LOC (Local Organising Committee) Chairman Boma Iyaye, the LOC members made up of several Commissioners, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and virtually everyone who was involved in the tournament from the athletes to the spectators, to the technical officials, were just fantastic.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank all of them for making this event such a success,” an excited Igali concluded.