Blessing Oborududu lost the final of the 68kg women’s freestyle wrestling event 4-1 to America’s Tamyra Mensah-Stock but won silver in the process, earning Nigeria only her second medal at this year’s Olympics.
The Commonwealth champion on Monday defeated London 2012 Olympics bronze medallist Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia 7-2 to advance to the final.
Her advancement to the final meant Nigeria was guaranteed at least a silver medal in the event and made history as the first Nigerian athlete to reach the final of an Olympics wrestling event.
Nigeria’s other representative, medal hopeful and world number one in the 57kg category, Odunayo Adekuoroye, will begin her campaign against Anastasia Nichita of Moldova.