Team Nigeria Makes Clean Sweep of Para-weightlifting Gold Medals
Esther Oyema sets world record in women’s lightweight category Gold medalist wants commensurate appreciation from President Buhari
Roland Ezuruike yesterday sparked Team Nigeria’s gold rush at the ongoing XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. By the time competition ended on Day Six of the Games, Team Nigeria moved up from just two silver to four gold and four silver medals and ninth on the overall medals standings.
Ezuruike lifted a total of 224.3kg in the Men’s Lightweight category of the para-weightlifting to dump his compatriot and former record holder, Paul Kehinde to play second fiddle.
The I, 2 finish for Team Nigeria was glorious as it created the right spirit for others to similarly emulate him. England’s Jawad Ali took the bronze.
Esther Oyema and Ndidi Nwosu also won gold medals in their various categories. Abdulazeez Ibrahim won the fourth gold medal in the same para-weightlifting.
Esther Oyema snatched the gold after a horse-race with compatriot Lucy Ejike. Oyema lifted 131kg in the Women’s Lightweight category final to set a new world record.
Ejike settled for the silver while England was yet again condemned to the bronze.
Team Nigeria’s third gold medal of the Games also came from the para-weightlifting as Ndidi Nwosu defeated other contestants in the women’s heavyweight class to win.
Ibrahim added Nigeria’s fourth gold medal to cap the brilliant performance of the country’s para athletes on the Day Six of competition at the Games in Gold Coast.
He lifted a total of 191.9kg to finish ahead a strong field of 10 contestants.
The silver medal went to Yee Khie Jong of Malaysia who lifted 188.7kg, while India’s Sachin Chandhary picked the bronze with a 181.0kg lift.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria’s gold medalists want an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari after winning gold on Day 6 of the Commonwealth Games.
Oyema who set a new world record said that meeting President Buhari will be a dream come true for her.
“I feel so excited because it was like a film to me. I was anxious about winning gold at the Commonwealth Games because after the Paralympic Games in Rio, I went to rest. I had to start the process of cutting down on my body weight because I was already in the heavyweight class and I knew I needed a lot of hard work to shed about 10kg.
My coach Patience Igbiti encouraged me so I started training for it. If I didn’t work on my body weight, I wouldn’t have set a new world record today,” observed the gold medalist.
She stressed further that her sacrifice to work harder has propelled her to the top and would be very glad to meet President Buhari.