2023 African Games gold medallist, Joy Ogboone told www.aclsports.com that her intention is to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Ogboone won three gold medals in the snatch (90kg), Clean and Jerk (117kg) as well as Total (207kg) in the women’s -71kg weightlifting class at the 13th African Games in Ghana.
The Commonwealth Games Champion revealed that training has begun in earnest to put her in shape ahead of the IWF Championship in Phuket.
The multiple African champion said, “I am happy to win the -71kg weight class after a series of training back home. The President of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Dr Ibrahim Abdul has been a strong pillar for weightlifting and encourages the team to keep fighting.
“The African Games is a preparatory stage for me to prepare for the Olympic Games qualifiers because I want to participate and win medals for Nigeria. I will commence training in earnest because there is no time to waste.
“The coaches have drawn a daily program for me in order to use the equipment of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation which is very good for me. I want to keep my current form and also make a huge statement in Thailand.
“There is nothing called impossible in my dictionary; I am going to Thailand to make my family and Nigeria proud. Nigeria is yet to win a medal after a long time and by the grace of God, we are going to make our nation proud”.
Ogbonne appealed to the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu to reward the weightlifters who have won laurels for the country at the 13th African Games in Ghana.
She said, “Nigeria weightlifters are doing excellently well at the African Games in Ghana, we have succeeded in lifting the country on the medals table”.
Nigeria have won 15 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze medals at the ongoing 13th African Games in Ghana.
