Traditional Wrestling Set to Make Its Debut at the 4th Governor Douye Diri National Wrestling Classics Kick-off

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******* Bayelsa Ready to Host the Nation After Winning Hosting Rights for the 2028 National Sports Festival

The 4th edition of the Governor Douye Diri National Wrestling Classics is set to kick off with more weight categories added to this year’s event. At a press conference ahead of the commencement of the wrestling classics, the Hon. Commissioner for Sport Development in Bayelsa State, Dr Daniel Igali, noted that everything is in place for a much better tournament.
Dr. Daniel Igali, while speaking, also said that this year’s Classics will see the addition of three new weight categories in the Greco‑Roman and freestyle disciplines for both men and women.

“This year we’ve added three more weight categories to what used to be twelve weight categories in each style, totalling fifteen in women’s wrestling, fifteen in Greco‑Roman and fifteen in men’s freestyle, while in the U‑15 category there are five new weight categories. This is because we believe we need to invest a lot more in our younger athletes, who are the future of Nigerian wrestling,” he said.

The sport commissioner added that this year’s tournament will feature the return of traditional wrestling, now called beach wrestling, which will have four weight classes for both men and women.

The 4th edition of the Governor Douye Diri National Wrestling Classics is scheduled to take place from 12 to 20 December 2025 at the Main Bowl of the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, while the traditional wrestling will take place at the premises of Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa.

Meanwhile, the Honourable Commissioner for Sport, Daniel Igali, said at the press conference that Bayelsa State is looking forward to welcoming more than fifteen thousand athletes and officials in two years’ time after being announced as the host for the 2028 National Sports Festival. We will host over twenty sports and ensure that the rest of Nigeria—and indeed the world—gets a vivid picture of Bayelsa’s vibrant culture.

This competition will give us the chance to showcase facilities we have never had before, filling the gaps that have long limited our sporting ambitions. He noted that hosting the event allows Bayelsa to provide its younger generation with world‑class venues they have never seen. These facilities will be ready for the 2028 National Sports Festival, giving our youths the opportunity to train and compete at the highest level right here at home.

Even though we currently possess only about thirty to forty percent of the sporting infrastructure and have been placed third or second nationally, imagine what we can achieve once every needed facility is in place. Construction of the largest, most ambitious stadium in the country has already begun, and the governor has also approved a 5,000‑seat, expandable stadium in Isampou to ensure we have more than one venue ready for the National Sports Festival.

We are ready, we have started, and we are committed to delivering a legacy that will benefit Bayelsa and Nigeria for generations to come. Dr. Igali concluded.

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