Nigeria emerging as weightlifting power as she wins three more Commonwealth gold medals

WEIGHTLIFTING is emerging as a sport in which Nigeria is beginning to excel internationally as the country's contingent at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Scotland have added three more medals to their tally.

Historically, Nigeria has always been a strong medals contender in weightlifting but at the current games in Glasgow, the country is now emerging as a world power. In the para lifting, Team Nigeria had already set the competition alight, winning three gold and three silver medals  and yesterday, their able-bodied colleagues added three more gold medals to this tally.

Weightlifters Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, Edidiong Joseph Umoafia and Onome Omolola Didih all secured gold medals in record breaking fashion. Lawal delivered a commanding performance in the women’s 58kg weightlifting event, lifting a combined 229kg to set a new Commonwealth Games record.

She opened with a 103kg snatch, establishing a comfortable lead before sealing victory with a 126kg clean and jerk. Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau claimed silver with 215kg, while India’s Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam settled for bronze with 199kg.

Earlier on in the day, Umoafia struck gold in the men’s 71kg category after producing a record breaking total of 319kg.He  recorded a 147kg snatch and a 172kg clean and jerk to finish ahead of Samoa’s John Lautafi Tafi, who took silver with 314kg. Nauru’s Ezekiel Moses secured bronze with 310kg.

Didih also made history in the women’s 53kg event, setting a new Commonwealth Games record with a 93kg snatch before completing a winning total of 206kg. India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav won silver with 199kg, while Canada’s Rebeka Groulx took bronze with 178kg.

This trio of victories increased Nigeria’s medal haul to six gold and four silver medals, strengthening the country’s position at the games. Team Nigeria is hoping to significantly increase its medals tally in the athletics events today, as its aims for a record medals haul of 16 gold at these games.