Team Nigeria sweeps Paralympics Powerlifting events at Tokyo 2020

The contingent from Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics has once again dominated the Powerlifting competition at the event, winning six medals in six different weight classes to finish the Powerlifting events in second place overall.

After their counterparts were only able to pick up two medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the pressure on the Paralympics team from Nigeria to deliver their usual medal haul was increased. The Powerlifting team from Nigeria showed its mettle as its members won a total of six medals, only second to China’s 13 in the same category at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Latifat Tijani opened the floodgates of medals for Team Nigeria in the Powerlifting event at the Paralympics with her gold medal lift in the women’s 45kg category. She claimed the gold medal with her lift of 105kg to improve on her silver medal from the Rio 2016 Paralympics as China’s Zhe Cui finished in second place.

Team captain Lucy Ejike won the second medal for Team Nigeria as she claimed bronze in the women’s Powerlifting 61kg with a lift of 130kg. Mexico’s Amelia Perez claimed a record fourth gold medal at the event with a lift of 131kg, and Uzbekistan’s Ruza Kuzieva won silver with a lift of 130kg. Ejike has claimed six medals for Nigeria in Powerlifting at the Paralympics since 2000.

Olaitan Ibrahim won Team Nigeria her third medal in the women’s Powerlifting 67kg category with a lift of 119kg giving her a bronze medal in the event. She finished behind China’s Yujiao Tan (133kg) and Egypt’s Fatma Omar (120kg).

Bose Omolayo made a new Paralympics record with her lift of 141kg in the women’s Powerlifting 79kg category as she claimed gold to take the medal tally to four for Nigeria.

Folashade Oluwafemiayo set a new world Paralympics record in the women’s 86kg as she claimed gold with a lift of 152kg to win a fifth medal for Team Nigeria.

Loveline Obiji won silver medal in the women’s +86kg with her lift of 147kg to claim the sixth medal for the Team Nigeria Powerlifting contingent.

Remarkably, Team Nigeria has won more medals (52) in Powerlifting since its debut in the Barcelona 1992 Paralympics than the entire Nigerian Olympics teams (25) since its debut in the Helsinki 1952 Olympics.