The President Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation, Sulola Johnson (MON) has said the nation’s para-lifters stand a chance of missing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics if the team fails to appear at the World Championship in Mexico in September.
Johnson in Lagos said the lifters have started training despite missing two international tournaments which made them miss listing in the latest ranking released by the World Para Powerlifting Federation.
He noted that the major challenge is the inability of the federation to access funds at the appropriate time.
“The World body told every National Paralifting Federation that the Championship is a pathway to the Olympics in 2020. Every country wants to be in Mexico to challenge Nigeria because some of the athletes broke World Records at the 2016 Rio Olympics”, the President said.
“On the part of the athletes, everyone has been training, we don’t have any problem. You know we are the best in the world, we have no challenge in that area at all”, Johnson revealed.
“The area where we are having challenges is funds to take the athletes to Mexico. We want to use this opportunity to appeal to all our friends outside and within Nigeria to assist us so that we can attend this very important championship in order to keep our various world record” he ended.
On the recently concluded International Paralympics Committee workshop held in Lagos, Johnson said Nigeria is is becoming the hub for Paralifting in Africa
