The duo of Lawrence Iquaibom and Sefiya Onubaye has been appointed to officiate at the forthcoming African Senior Weightlifting Championship in Egypt, www.aclsport.com gathered.
The 2024 African Senior Weightlifting Championships is scheduled for 2nd to 10th February in Ismaila, Egypt and serves as a Qualification series for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
In a statement signed by the Secretary General of Weightlifting Federation of Africa, Manareddin Eshelli; the International Technical Officials must wear the official IWF Technical uniform during the African Championships.
The former coach of Nigeria junior team, Sefiya Onubaye expressed her delight at the honour by the Weightlifting Federation of Africa to officiate at the first International Championship.
Onubaye told www.aclsports.com that the appointment will spur her to perform better.
She said, “I am super elated because this is the first time I will be officiate outside the shore of Nigeria. I promise to give my best and officiate fairly throughout the championship.
She revealed that it will be a dream come true to make her debut in officiating at the forthcoming 13th African Games in Ghana next March.
“I see myself as Nigeria’s Ambassador in the weightlifting. Nigerians should not expect anything short of good representation and I hope to officiate at the 2023 African Games”.
The selection of Sefiya Onibaye as one of the referees for the 2023 African Senior Weightlifting Championship is a significant milestone for Nigerian women in weightlifting.
This opportunity to officiate in a prestigious tournament like the African Senior Weightlifting Championship is a testament to her dedication and hard work.
Onibaye’s selection is also a positive development for gender equality in weightlifting officiating. The presence of female referees not only provides equal opportunities for women in the sport but also promotes diversity and inclusivity in weightlifting.
