Odunayo Folasade Adekuoroye

“I find myself often thinking about how the gold medal will be represented to me… my dream finally coming true. I can’t wait to experience that moment and make history as the first African woman to win Olympic gold in wrestling.”

“When you take this life too seriously, you are making things difficult for yourself. That’s why you have to find your happiness. I am always trying to be happy and smiling most of the time”

“I ended up loving wrestling passionately.”

“My coach has done so much for me. We spend a lot of time together, strength training, mat training. Sometimes he even stands in as a training partner for me. Most of the matches I have won, it’s not my strength but the intelligence of the coach.”

“My dad used to tell me, ‘my daughter I believe what I can’t do anymore you can do it and make me proud.’ The only gift I can give him now is to medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The love I have for him will drive me.”

“I want to wear an Olympic gold medal, like the wrestler I admire the most Jordan Burroughs. I love his style. When I was young, I used to watch his videos for hours. I want to succeed like him”

“Wrestling gave me fame, took me out of poverty and gave me a name. We didn’t have anything at home, but when I started making money, at least now we are not rich, but we are comfortable. We are now living in our own house, I bought a car for my dad, and I opened a shop for my mum.”

“Wrestling is not always about your strength, your physique, it’s about what is in your head. 30% of your strength, 30% of your tactics but most is your mental ability to manoeuvre your opponent. Because most of the time on the mat competitors are equal in strength.”