Daniel Igali facts for kids
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| Nationality |  Nigeria Canada |
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| Born | February 3, 1974 Eniwari, Bayelsa State, Nigeria |
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Medal record
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Baraladei Daniel Igali (born February 3, 1974) is a famous Nigerian-Canadian wrestler. He made history by winning Canada's very first Olympic gold medal in wrestling. This big win happened at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He is still Canada's only male Olympic gold medalist in wrestling.
Contents
Daniel Igali's Wrestling Journey
Starting in Canada
Daniel Igali first came to Canada in 1994. He was the captain of the Nigerian wrestling team. They were there to compete in the 1994 Commonwealth Games. After the games, he stayed in Canada. He sought protection because of problems in his home country, Nigeria. He became a Canadian citizen in 1998.
College Wrestling Success
Igali started his studies at Douglas College. Later, he moved to Simon Fraser University to study criminology. While at Simon Fraser University, he wrestled for their team from 1997 to 1999. He won three NAIA Championships in a row. His record in collegiate wrestling was amazing: 116 wins and 0 losses! He also received special awards for being an "All-American" wrestler.
Olympic and Commonwealth Gold
In 2000, Daniel Igali competed at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He won a gold medal in the men's 69 kg freestyle wrestling event. This was a huge moment for Canada. Two years later, at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, he won another gold medal. This time it was in the men's 74 kg freestyle wrestling.
Hall of Fame Honors
Daniel Igali's achievements were recognized in a big way. In 2007, he was welcomed into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Later, in 2012, he was also inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame. These honors celebrate his incredible career.
Life Beyond Competing
A TV show called "Wrestling with Destiny: The Life and Times of Daniel Igali" was made about his life. It was shown on CBC Television in 2004. After his competing days, Igali continued to be involved in wrestling. In 2013, he became the first elected president of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation. He helped boost the spirits of Nigerian athletes. In September 2022, he was chosen to be a board member of UWW (United World Wrestling). This is a five-year term.
Daniel Igali in Politics
In 2005, Daniel Igali decided to try something new. He announced he wanted to become a political candidate. He aimed to represent the British Columbia Liberal Party in the provincial election in British Columbia. He won the chance to be a candidate. However, he was not elected. He was defeated by Harry Bains from the New Democratic Party.
Personal Life and Current Role
Daniel Igali earned a Master of Arts degree in criminology from Simon Fraser University. He had also studied at Douglas College. While working on his master's degree, he trained and helped coach at SFU. As of 2025, Daniel Igali is the coach of the Nigerian National Wrestling Team. He has also served as a member of the Bayelsa State assembly in Nigeria. He was also the sports commissioner for Bayelsa State. In 2012, he was recognized as one of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants. This award is given by Canadian Immigrant Magazine.
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Igali para niños
