It had been feared the Nigerian Wrestling Federation would struggle to send a team to the 2017 African Wrestling Championships, but funding has arrived in time ©Getty Images

Nigeria will feature at the 2017 African Wrestling Championships after funding to fly out to Morocco was given to them.

There had been fears that the Nigerian Wrestling Federation (NWF) would not be able to send a team to Marrakesh due to financial reasons.

However, after the Bayelsa State Government provided the team with some funding, the NWF were able to get their wrestlers to the north African country in time for the competition, where the senior rounds begin tomorrow.

A group of 11 wrestlers and a coach have now travelled to Morocco for the championships.

“The Bayelsa Government has released money to accommodate all the athletes that qualified from the last championships in the state,” NWF President Daniel Igali told the News Agency of Nigeria.

Action commences tomorrow at the Complexe Zerktouni with the qualification rounds and repechage of the women’s and Greco-Roman events starting at 2pm locally.

The finals and award ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 7pm.

Tunisia’s Marwa Amri, a bronze medallist at Rio 2016, is among the defending champions heading to Marrakesh ©Getty Images
Tunisia’s Marwa Amri, a bronze medallist at Rio 2016, is among the defending champions heading to Marrakesh ©Getty Images

On Sunday (April 30), all the men’s freestyle wrestling categories will be contested.

Among the names on show at the competition include Tunisia’s Marwa Amri, a bronze medallist in the women’s 58 kilogram at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, who is on the hunt for her ninth African Championships crown as she battles for the 60kg title.

In the men’s freestyle, several wrestlers will be looking to retain the titles they won last year in Alexandria, Egypt, including Senegal’s Adam Diatta in the 57kg and Tunisian duo Maher Ghanmi, 70kg, and Mohamed Saadoui, 86kg.

Defending champions are also featuring in the Greco-Roman competition, which sees Egypt’s Mahmoud Sebie move up a weight class, going from 75kg to 80kg.