Para Powerlifter, Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Women’s Discus thrower Goodness Nwachukwu increased Team Nigeria’s gold medal tally to 5 on Day 7 of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Parasports took on the challenge and showed up across different sports for Team Nigeria.
Ikechukwu Obichukwu and Bose Omolayo picked silver medals in Para powerlifting.
Team Captain, Nnamdi Innocent also picked a bronze medal in the para powerlifting event on the seventh day of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
PARA ATHLETICS
Team Nigeria’s Goodness Chiemerie Nwachukwu was the star of the day as she broke TWO commonwealth records in the Women’s Discus F42-44/61-64 event with a best throw of 36.86m.
It was a performance that was so good, four of her attempts could easily have been World Records.
Nwachukwu improved with every other attempt and ended with a gold medal and a new World Record of 36.86m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
PARA POWERLIFTING
Team Nigeria’s Folashade Oluwafemiayo put up a remarkable performance in the Women’s Heavyweight Powerlifting event of the 2022 Commonwealth Games to break her formerly set World Record and swoop the gold medal in the category.
Oluwafemiayo lifted 155kg while weighing 83.50kg to win this event category flawlessly after racking up a cumulative 123.4points on the day.
Team Nigeria’s captain, Offiong Innocent also won the bronze medal in the Men’s Lightweight category while another member of the team, Thomas Kure finished 4th on the log
Ikechukwu Obichikwu of Team Nigeria also won a silver medal in the Men’s Heavyweight Para powerlifting event category of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Obichukwu lifted 190kg to clinch the second place and this rounded up a great turnout for this team on a day that almost turned disappointing after two Para powerlifters, Latifat Tijani and Oyinyechi Mark were disqualified from contesting for arriving late at kit assessment.
Team Nigeria won 4 medals out of the 12 medals that were awarded across the event category on the day.
TABLE TENNIS
In the Women’s Table Tennis Singles event categories, Team Nigeria’s Fatima Bello failed to advance to the Round of 16 after a 4-0 loss to Team Wales’ Anna Hursey.
Team Nigeria’s Esther Oribamishe also failed to make the Round of 16 after losing to another member of Team Wales 4-2
Team Nigeria’s Offiong Edem became the only woman left in the single’s category event after booking her place in the round of 16
The pairings of Olajide Omotayo/Ajoke Ojomu and Bode Abiodun/Atinuke Bello also recorded wins in the Round of 32 to book a place in the next round.
The pairing of Quadri Aruna and Offiong Edem failed to show up for their match against Team Ghana and they lost by walkover
In the Men’s Table Tennis Doubles event, Aruna Quadri and Bode Abiodun advanced to the Round of 16 after an impressive 3-0 match win over Team Cyprus’ Elia Shargel and Marios Yiangou
Olajide Omotayo and Amadi Omeh also recorded a doubles victory over Team Bangladesh’s Hamza Mufradul and Riffat Sabbir to book a place in the Round of 16.
In Para Table Tennis, Agunbiade Tajudeen booked a place in the semi finals of the Men’s singles Classes 8-10 while Ogunkunle Isau booked a place in the semi final of the Classes 3-5.
Nasiru Sule also recorded a win to book his semi-final place in the Singles Classes 3-5 where a medal is now guaranteed for Team Nigeria.
BOXING
It is assured medal hopes for Team Nigeria in the Boxing event category of the 2022 Commonwealth Games as two members of Team Nigeria recorded quarter final bout wins on Day 7
In the Women’s Featherweight category, Elizabeth Oshoba recorded a 3-2 win by points over Team Trinidad and Tobago’s Tiannah Guy to book a place in the semi final which is a guaranteed bronze medal.
Team Nigeria’s Cynthia Ogunsemilore also achieved the same feat in the Women’s Lightweight category as she recorded an Knock-Out (Referee Stops Contest) win against Team Botswana’s Aratwa Kasemang
Team Nigeria’s Ifeanyi Onyekwere also put up a dominant performance in the Men’s Super Heabyweight category after a on points 5-0 win over Team Canada’s Marcel Mouafo-Feujo booked him a place in the final.
He will now face Team India’s Sagar Sagar in the final with hopes to convert his bronze medal to a gold or silver medal.
Speaking with journalists after the win, Nnamdi said “I did my best to make sure I win”
When asked how far he felt he could go, Nnamdi said that he would go back to the gym, get into shape and give his best for the final fight.
ATHLETICS
It was qualification success for team Nigeria on the day as Grace Ofili, Udodi Onwuzuruike, and Emmanuel Ojeli all booked their places in the 200m semi finals categories of their respective events.
Temitope Simbiat and Esther Isah also booked their places in the final of the Women’s High Jump event.
For Team Nigeria, a total of 13 medals now mean they move up two places on the table at the end of Day 7 of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Team Nigeria’s 8th on the overall medal table with 5 gold medals, 3 silver medal and 5 bronze medals.
Team Australia retains its spot at the top of the medals table with a total of 132 medals – 50 gold, 42 silver and 40 bronze
2022 Commonwealth games Action continues Day 8 as Team Nigeria jostles for medals and qualifications in Athletics &Para Athletics, Table Tennis & and Boxing
Ese Brume features in the Women’s Long jump and 100m hurdles World Record holder, Tobi Amusan will also feature in the qualification heats
