Team Nigeria is now the 29th best side at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games following the addition of one more gold and a silver medal in the para-powerlifting event of the world sports festival.
Team Nigeria’s Folashade Oluwafemiayo lit up the arena when she took the women’s up to 86kg gold medal and beat her own world record twice on the final day of Para powerlifting.
She registered a competition-winning third lift of 151kg, before using a fourth and final power lift to set a new world mark of 152kg.
Speaking after her feat, she said, “I feel very, very great. I thank God, because it was God all this way. Not by my own power, but by the power of God. He was giving me grace, and I give him the admiration for standing right behind me. I’ve been asking for this from god, and he gave it to me.”
Loveliine Obiji also got a silver medal at 147kg. She conceded the gold to China’s Deng Xuemei, who succeeded with 147, 151 and 153 kilogrammes. The bronze went to Poland’s Zieba Mareena, whose best attempt was 140kg.
Deng Xuemei registered three successful attempts and outlifted Obiji of Nigeria by six kilogrammes.
China top the medals table in a five-day powerlifting action at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with seven golds and six silver medals.
Nigeria is in Tokyo with 10 powerlifting athletes, but the country also has athletes in para powerlifting, para-athletics, para-table tennis and para-rowing.
Team Nigeria is not involved in any event today, but they will return to action tomorrow when Iyiazi Njideka takes to the field in the F/57 women’s shot put finals.
