Adedokun Waliyu 
Nigeria has won a total of twelve medals comprising nine gold and three silver at the African Open Championships that ended in Cairo, Egypt.
At the end of the four-day event on Sunday, the Nigerian para powerlifters created three world records and two African records.
Roland Ezuruike, Esther Nworgu, Latifat Tijani, Kafila Almaruf, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, Onyinyechi Gift Mark, Loveline Obiji, and Bose Omolayo won individual gold medals for the country while a gold medal was also won in the team’s event for women.
Bose Bejide, Lucy Ejike, and Thomas Kure won the three silver medals. The gold medal won at the team’s event was however not recorded on the medals table.
This edition is the biggest ever as it allowed participants outside of the continent for the first time, with over 166 male and female athletes from 27 countries competing in ten weight classes.
Sunday Dare, minister of youth and sports development, has commended the Nigerian contingent for their impressive showing at the Egyptian meet.
“The performance of our contingent underlines Nigeria’s status as a leading force in para powerlifting, our strong winning culture and competitive mentality,” the minister said in a statement on Monday.
“We must keep improving and never stop developing new strategies that will keep us at this level of dominance and even go higher as the sport evolves and new rules and techniques are developed.”
