The Bayelsa State team swept most of the gold medals on offer on the final day of action in the Weightlifting event at the ongoing Ogun State 2024 National Sports Festival, www.aclsports.com reports.
The Bayelsans were expected to dominate the event, and they did so to confirm their superiority in the sport.
Team Bayelsa claimed nine gold medals, Team Delta captured three gold medals, Team Edo got two gold medals, and Kano got the remaining solitary gold medal in the five weight classes of Women’s +87kg, Men’s 96kg, Men’s 102kg, Men’s 109kg and Men’s +109kg competed for at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Shagamu on Wednesday.
In the Women’s +87kg, Caroline Albert (Bayelsa) bagged three gold medals in the snatch with her 100kg lift, Clean & Jerk 120kg lift and combine total of 220kg lift, while Sandra Ndukwe of Rivers and Joy Yakubu (Benue) took three silver medals and three bronze medals in that order in the same weight class.
Multiple-champion from the last Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta’s Desmond Akano, won three gold medals in the Men’s 96kg. He lifted 141kg in the snatch; 180kg in the Clean & Jerk, and 321 total. Dirisu Oseni (Edo) got a silver medal in the Snatch (128kg) and two bronze medals in the Clean & Jerk (157kg) and total (285kg) with Marvellous Robinson of Team Niger sealing two silver medals in the Clean & Jerk (158kg) and total lift of 285kg, while Solomon Chinedu of Cross River finished with a bronze medal with the lift of 128kg in the snatch.
Meanwhile, Adeyemi Abayomi (Bayelsa) added three more gold medals with a total lift of 315kg comprising the lift of 140kg in the snatch and 175kg in the Clean & Jerk in the 102kg category.
Bauchi’s Mohammed Isyaku got a silver in the snatch with a lift of 121kg; Team Imo’s Ebubechi Onyedikachi Akosa got a silver in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 150kg while Team Ekiti’s Tope Oluwafemi bagged a silver with his total lift of 265kg. He also got a bronze in the snatch with his lift of 120kg. Stephen Samuel of Team Plateau got two bronze medals in the Clean & Jerk and total.
In addition, Lucky Joseph capped a memorable day for Team Bayelsa with three more gold medals in the Men’s +109kg with his 145kg lift in the snatch; 175kg lift in the Clean & Jerk and 320kg total lift.
Team Edo’s Daniel Abdulihen turned heads in the Men’s 109kg division with two gold and a silver medal. He captured the gold lifting 164kg in the Clean & Jerk to beat Jamiu Yahaya Abdullahi of Kano, who got a silver with his lift of 162kg. Abdullahi also got another bronze medal for Kano with his total lift of 297kg.
Abdulihen won another gold with his total lift of 301kg. He had earlier claimed a silver medal with his lift of 137kg to finish second behind Lucky Orobosa of Team Kano who got the gold with 147kg. Team Bayelsa’s Patrick Barde got a silver with his total lift of 297kg and additional two bronze medals in the snatch with his lift of 136kg and 161kg he lifted in the Clean & Jerk.
Dr. Agboghidi (Delta) got three silver medals in the snatch with a lift of 137kg; 163kg lift in the Clean & Jerk and 300kg lift in total. Abdul Abdulhakeem Tijani of Delta also claimed the three bronze medals in the weight class.
NWF boss pleased with outing
The President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Dr Ibrahim Abdul praised the level of competition at the National Sports Festival in Ogun State, adding that the discovered talents would be properly harnessed and monitored ahead of future national and international competitions.
“I will say it was a complete success for us in the Weightlifting event. We saw new discoveries and some young lifters who are capable of excelling in future competitions with proper grooming and monitoring,” Dr Abdul told NWF Media.
“We have listed out some names of Weightlifters that have impressed us through our Technical department and we shall do all within our reach to properly monitor them through their states to ensure they continue to progress.
“I must appreciate the board members of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation for their ceaseless unwavering support; the coaches, referees and our secretariat, including the media, for a job well done.”
