Claims that Nigerian wrestler Blessing Oborodudu has secured an Olympic medal by reaching the semi-finals are premature, contrary to reports by several Nigerian media outlets.
Pulse Sports Nigeria posted on X (formerly Twitter): “#Paris2024: Nigeria guaranteed to win a medal as Blessing Oborodudu reaches semi-final.” The paper also published the story on its website with the title, “Paris 2024: Nigeria guaranteed to win a medal as Blessing Oborududu reaches semifinal”
Similarly, Sports Village Square reported: “A medal is certain for Nigeria in the women’s freestyle 67kg wrestling event as Blessing Oborodudu beat home girl, Koumba Larouque of France in the quarter-finals to advance into the semi-finals.”
However, Olympic wrestling rules do not guarantee a medal for semi-finalists. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), wrestlers who lose in the semi-finals must compete in repechage rounds for a chance at bronze.
As stated by Olympics.com, “In taekwondo and wrestling repechage, a separate draw is made, which includes the losing semi-finalists along with the two athletes who lost to the eventual finalists in the round of 16 and the quarter-finals.”
This system differs from sports like boxing, where semi-finalists automatically receive at least a bronze medal. The confusion may stem from a misunderstanding of Olympic wrestling’s medal allocation process. While Oborodudu’s advancement to the semi-finals is a significant achievement, it does not guarantee her a medal.
If Oborodudu wins her semi-final match, she will be assured of at least a silver medal. However, if she loses, she will need to compete in the repechage round for a chance at bronze. The semi-final is billed for 8pm today.
VERDICT: False. Reaching the semi-finals in Olympic wrestling does not guarantee a medal. Oborodudu will need to either win her semi-final match or succeed in the repechage round to secure a medal.
