Boxers, wrestlers para-athletes, others start chase for medals
Team Nigeria’s weightlifting squad, yesterday, continued their good run at the ongoing Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with 19-year-old Islamiyat Adebukola Yusuf, the latest medalist.
On Saturday, Adijat Olarinoye and Rafiatu Lawal gave the country two gold medals, while Umoafia Edidiong brought home a bronze to take the country’s haul to three.
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Yesterday, teenage lifter, Yusuf, added yet another bronze medal to the kitty, coming third in the Women’s 64kg event at the National Exhibition Centre.
She lifted a total of 212 kilogrammes to end behind Canada’s Maude Charron and Cochrane Sarah of Australia, who won the gold and silver medals respectively.
The men’s table tennis squad, led by Quadri Aruna, was involved in the semifinals of the team event against India as of press time.
If they won the tie, they are expected to meet the winner of the other semifinal between England and Singapore in today’s final. The losers will meet in the bronze medal game also today.
Team Nigeria will be fully engaged today when the athletics, boxing, judo, table tennis, para-athletics and para table tennis events begin.
The athletics heats will begin at 10.00 a.m., judo will also start by 10.00 a.m., while boxing bouts will begin by 12.00 p.m.
Participating in today’s men’s 100 metres heats are Alaba Akintola, Favour Ashe and Udodi Onwuzuruike. The trio will also participate in today’s 200 metres heats.
Sikiru Adeyemi, Samson Nathaniel and Johnson Nnamani will participate in the 400 metres heats.
Ezekiel Nathaniel is Nigeria’s sole entry in the men’s 400m hurdles, just as former Big Brother Naija star, Mike Edwards, is the country’s representative in the men’s high jump.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will begin his campaign in the men’s shot put, just as Kennedy Ezeji will do in men’s para discus throw F42-44/61-64.
Goodness Chiemere Nwachukwu is listed for women’s discus throw F42-44/61-64, Chinecherem Nnamdi is billed to contest in the men’s javelin throw, while the men’s 4×100 metres and 4×400 metres teams will also be in preliminary action today.
Cecilia Chinenye James will begin her quest for honours in the women -63kg judo, Joy Oluchi Asonye will fight in the women -70kg class, Patrick Edwin will fight in the men’s -66kg judo category, while Fatai Muritala will fight in the -81kg.
Nigeria’s para powerlifters will also be in action today. They are Thomas Kure and Innocent Nnamdi (men’s lightweight); Abdulaziz Ibrahim and Ikechukwu Christian Obichukwu (men’s heavyweight); Onyinye Gift Mark and Latifat Tijjani (women’s lightweight); and Alice Folashade Oluwafemiayo (women’s heavyweight).
The preliminary round events of wrestling, table tennis singles and para table tennis singles will also start today.
