Fatai Balogun will lead two others, Samuel Kekere, and Sodiq Ajibade, to the forthcoming World Sambo Championships, scheduled to hold in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from November 7 to 9.
Organised by the Fédération Internationale de Sambo (FIAS), the World Sambo Championships are the premier global event for both Sport Sambo and Combat Sambo, including the Blind Sambo (SVI1 category).
Balogun will compete in the men’s 88kg Combat Sambo, while Kekere, who made history in 2024 as the first African to compete in Blind Sambo at the World Championships, returns to the global stage in the men’s 64kg Blind Sambo.
Ajibade, making his debut, will represent Nigeria in the men’s 98kg Blind Sambo, aiming for a podium finish. Expressing his excitement ahead of his second outing at the championships, Kekere praised FIAS for its support and commended the Vice President and General Secretary of the Sambo Association of Nigeria, Sheriff Hammed, for his instrumental role in facilitating the team’s participation.
The three-day championship will feature top sambists from around the world, with competitions across Sport Sambo (men and women), Combat Sambo (men and women), and Blind Sambo (men, SVI1 category).
The total prize fund for the 2025 edition stands at $341,000, with equal prize money across all disciplines. Gold medalists will receive $4,000, silver medalists will get $3,000, while bronze medalists will pocket $2,000.
In Sport Sambo, athletes will compete in groups with repechage from the finalists, while Combat Sambo will be contested without repechage.
