London Paralympics: Nigeria adds more medals

Nigeria occupies the 10th position on the medals tables.

By Tunde Eludini

The athletes representing Nigeria at the ongoing Paralympics Games in London, added one silver and a bronze medal to the country’s medal haul on Monday.

Nigeria now occupies the 10th spot on the medals tables with 4 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze medal.

The latest medal was won by Folashade Oluwafemiayo, who won silver in the power lifting event.

Folashade narrowly missed the gold having lifted 146kg which is a new world record in her category. However, Chinese athlete, Fu Taoying, snatched the gold as he lifted same 146kg earlier.

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Paralympics Federation, Monday Emoghavwe, has stated that Nigeria should expect more medals before the Games come to an end.

Yakubu Adesokan became the country’s first winner in London when he lifted 180kg to become the new Paralympics and world record title holder. The Paralympics team has been successful even at previous outings dating to their debut in Barcelona 1992. The Sydney games was the team’s most successful outing with seven Gold medals in the bag; a feat, the contingent desperately wants to better.

Speaking with a Lagos based radio station on Monday from London, Mr. Emoghavwe said that the Paralympics’ athletes are still searching for more medals so as to consolidate Nigeria’s position on the medals table.

“More medals will still come from the athletes because we are not in just one event,” he said.

Mr. Emoghavwe, who also won Gold in the power lifting event in Barcelona ’92, said the athletes are working tirelessly to gain more medals.