- Daniel Igali
-
Olympic medal record Men's freestyle wrestling Competitor for 
CanadaGold 2000 Sydney Lightweight (69 kg) Baraladei Daniel Igali (born February 3, 1974 in Eniwari, Bayelsa State, Nigeria) is a Canadian freestyler wrestler who is an Olympic gold medalist. He lives in Surrey, British Columbia.
Contents
Wrestling career
As captain of the Nigerian wrestling team he came to Canada to compete in the 1994 Commonwealth Games. He remained in the country while seeking refugee status due to political unrest in Nigeria. He acquired citizenship in 1998.
In Canada, Igali won 116 consecutive matches wrestling at Simon Fraser University from 1997 to 1999. He placed fourth at the 1998 world championships. He finished second at the 1998 World Cup and won a bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games.
At the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Igali won a gold medal in the Men's 69 kg freestyle wrestling. He represented Canada at the world stage.
At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Igali won a gold medal in the Men's 74 kg freestyle wrestling.
Politics
On February 10, 2005, Igali announced that he would seek nomination as a candidate in Surrey-Newton for the British Columbia Liberal Party in the 2005 provincial election in British Columbia. He won the nomination, but was defeated by New Democrat opponent Harry Bains in the election.In January 2011, Daniel Igali won the PDP democratic primaries for the House of assembly seat in Southern Ijaw, constituency 3. Daniel Igali contested for the House of assembly seat in the general elections, representing constituency 3, Southern Ijaw, bayelsa State, sponsored by the PDP and won elections in April, 2011. Igali is currently the honorable member representing the fabulous people of Southern Ijaw constituency 3, in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Personal
He is currently a Master of Arts candidate in the criminology department at Simon Fraser University, having previously attended Douglas College. He still trains at SFU and likes to help coach. Igali is currently the coach of the Nigerian National Wrestling Team.[1]
In November 2006 Igali was injured during a violent robbery while in Nigeria.[2]
Daniel enjoys playing kabaddi and is really close to the Punjabi community in Surrey, B.C.[3]
References
- ^ http://olympics.thestar.com/2008/article/48095
- ^ [1]
- ^ Summer sports offer windows into other cultures Straight.com, June 18, 2009
External links
Awards Preceded by
Caroline BrunetLou Marsh Trophy winner
2000Succeeded by
Jamie Salé & David PelletierCategories:- 1974 births
- Living people
- Canadian sport wrestlers
- Olympic wrestlers of Canada
- Wrestlers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Wrestlers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for Canada
- Black Canadian sportspeople
- Sportspeople from British Columbia
- Canadian people of Nigerian descent
- Simon Fraser University alumni
- Candidates in British Columbia provincial elections
- Canadian sportsperson–politicians
- Canada's Sports Hall of Fame inductees
- Naturalized citizens of Canada
- Wrestlers at the 1994 Commonwealth Games
- Wrestlers at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
- Commonwealth Games competitors for Canada
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada
- Commonwealth Games competitors for Nigeria
- People from Surrey, British Columbia
- British Columbia Liberal Party politicians
- Olympic medalists in wrestling
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
