Delta 2022: Zamfara’s Otunoye collapses, ruled out of festival

Team Zamfara’s taekwondo athlete, Daniel Otunoye, has been ruled out of the ongoing 21st edition of the National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State after he collapsed before his fight.

The flyweight fighter was about to face his opponent from Bayelsa Yiazibe Torukuru in the semi-finals before he suddenly collapsed at the multipurpose indoor sports hall of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

He was rushed out of the hall by medical personnel and taken to the medical centre for treatment.

Otunoye had fought earlier in the day and was a favourite to make the final before his collapse ended the championship for him.

He was already on the fight arena facing off against his opponent but fell before the opening bell was rung.

Head doctor in charge of the National Sports Festival, Dr. Anthony Enebe said the athlete’s condition when he was brought in on Sunday night.

“The guy (Otunoye) is okay now, he dislocated his right wrist and is a known asthmatic patient, but the asthma isn’t so bad that he can’t compete in an event like this,” Enebe said.

“I think the dislocation from an earlier bout was what caused him to collapse and needed to be taken out of the fight, but he is fine now.”

Enebe added that the young athlete’s fight would not be postponed. Instead, Otunoye forfeited the bout, as his condition ruled him out of the rest of the festival.

“He can no longer make an appearance in this festival. The injury marks the end of the competition for him,” Enebe said.

One of Otunoye’s teammates, Sherifah Hassan, who was at the indoor hall when he collapsed said

“He didn’t complain about any pains before the fight, his opponent landed a back leg kick on his hand and as soon as it landed, he went down and started shaking,” Hassan, who checked on Otunoye at the medical centre, said.

“After a few seconds, he suddenly went still and we were scared that he was dead. Our fears heightened because the medical personnel kept touching his wrist and we thought they were checking his pulse, not knowing it was dislocated.

“I am glad to hear that he is okay now, although I am sad about the injury because I really feel he had a very good chance of winning the gold medal,” she said.