Nigeria will make its debut at the World Sambo Championships.
Following their stellar performance at the African Beach Sambo Championships in Morocco, Nigeria will create history when they make their debut at the 2024 World Sambo Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, from November 6–10.
At the wrestling palace named after Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov Martial Arts Palace, athletes from 79 other nations will compete alongside the Nigerian delegation, which is led by blind sambist Samuel Oladele Kekere.
Under the guidance of Lagos State coach Gbenga Montana, Charity Jatau, African women's champion, James Chegwam, and Alani Balogun make up Team Nigeria.
Sheriff Hammed, the general secretary and vice president of the Sambo Association of Nigeria, called Nigeria's involvement revolutionary, especially as Kekere was the only African representative at the blind event.
They are finding hope in it. Despite these obstacles, they are able to earn a livelihood, do something for themselves, and make themselves proud. It’s quite amazing,” Hammed said.
The championship will feature men’s and women’s sport sambo, combat sambo, and for the first time, men’s SVI-1 (totally blind athletes) blind sambo, with 31 medals up for grabs.
"Your athlete meets the criteria of the international classification rules for blind sambo in class SVI-1," said Roman Novikov, the chairman of the FIAS Commission for Athletes with Disabilities, confirming Kekere's eligibility.
The competition will be the last qualifier for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.
However, Hammed brought attention to the financial difficulties, stating that participation is now self-sponsored and urging assistance from the public and commercial sectors.
The team's participation in the championship has the sponsorship of Lagos State Public Works.
"Sambists with health limitations show great desire to compete on an equal basis, demonstrating their steely will and fortitude," said Vasily Shestakov, president of the International Sambo Federation, in appreciation of the inclusion of blind athletes.
