Daniel Igali
From refugee claimant to Canada's first Olympic wrestling gold
- Born
- February 3, 1974, Eniwari, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
- Nationality
Canada
Nigeria- Height
- 168 cm (5′6″)
- Style
- Aggressive, athletic attacker
- Weight
- 69 kg, 74 kg
- Active
- 1990–2004
- Status
- Retired · age 52
The medals
2000 Olympic gold, 1999 world title
The story
aniel Igali grew up with 20 siblings in Eniwari, in Nigeria's Bayelsa State, and was inspired by a visiting Nigerian Olympic wrestler. African champion in 1993 and 1994, he captained Nigeria at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria and stayed in Canada as a refugee claimant. At Simon Fraser University he went 116-0 and won three NAIA titles, and he became a Canadian citizen in 1998. A year later he beat Lincoln McIlravy in Ankara to become Canada's first male world freestyle champion. In Sydney in 2000 he beat Arsen Gitinov 7-4 in the 69 kg final for Canada's first Olympic wrestling gold, then circled a Canadian flag spread on the mat and kissed it. He won the Lou Marsh Trophy that year, took Commonwealth gold in 2002, placed sixth in Athens and later led Nigeria's wrestling federation.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- Olympic champion, 69 kg (2000)
- World champion, 69 kg (1999)
- Commonwealth Games champion, 74 kg (2002)
- African champion (1993, 1994), for Nigeria
- NAIA champion ×3 (1997–1999), 116-0 at Simon Fraser
- Lou Marsh Trophy (2000)
- BC Sports Hall of Fame (2001)
- Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (2007)
- Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (2012)
- International Wrestling Hall of Fame (2012)
Defining matches
- 1999WINvs Lincoln McIlravy (World final, Ankara, 3-2)
- 2000WINvs Arsen Gitinov (Sydney Olympic final, 7-4)
- 2002WINvs Sunday Opiah (Commonwealth Games final, Manchester, 74 kg)
- 2004LOSSvs Iván Fundora (Athens Olympic quarter-final, 1-3; placed sixth)
Chain a gut wrench onto your takedowns, the two-point turn Igali scored in his Olympic final: lock your hands around your opponent's waist, keep your chest tight to their back and your hips low, and roll them across your body before the referee stands you both up.
