African Games: Nigeria lifters win six more gold medals

Nigeria weightlifters continued their dominance in the weightlifting event at the on-going 2023 African Games in Ghana on Tuesday as two lifters won six more gold medals in Accra.

Competing in Day 4 of weightlifting event, Ruth Ayodele and Joy Eze won three gold medals each in their 64kg and 71kg classes respectively.

Ruth Ayodele is making her debut in Africa Games, and she already has a memory to last her a lifetime. Joy Eze on her part, is competing in her second African Games; she moved up to a new weight category and has also become a champion in it.

Ayodele, competing in 64kg won gold in snatch, as well as clean and jerk and total. She lifted 94kg in snatch, 144kg in clean and jerk and a total of 208kg to claim all the three gold at stake.

Joy Eze was also exceptional in her 71kg category as she won all the three gold medals on display. She snatched 90kg, had 117kg in clean and jerk and a total of 207.

The six gold medals have made it a total of 15 gold medals won by the weightlifters in Accra.

Recall that the trio of Adijat Olarinoye, (55kg) Rafiatu Lawal (59kg) and Edidiong Umoafia (67kg) all won nine gold medals in their respective classes on Monday.

So far, Nigeria has won a total of 20 medals in Weightlifting event comprising 15 gold, two silver and three bronze.

Team Nigeria Weightlifting won a total of 50 medals at the 2019 Africa games with 16 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze medals. Optimism is high that the current athletes could surpass this record in Accra, Ghana’s capital.

The Weightlifting event at the Africa Games is holding at the University of Ghana and will end on March 15, 2024.