2019 African Games: Nigeria gets big boost as Weightlifters win six gold medals

Team Nigeria’s overall medal haul at the ongoing 2019 African Games in Morocco received a big boost on Monday as the country raked in six gold in weightlifting to move to the fifth spot on the overall medal standings.

Olarinoye Adijat Adenike got the first gold medal of the day in the 55kg category before Amlaha Chika added another one in the 55kg Snatch category.

Olarinoye added another gold in the 55kg Clean-jerk category before adding another silver medal.

Appah Emmanuel was the star of the day as he won three gold medals across the categories in the 61kg.

On Sunday, Nigeria lifters had won one gold, four silver, and four bronze.

This brings the medals of the weightlifting event to seven gold, seven silver, and four bronze.

It was an all Nigerian final in the women’s doubles table tennis final.

The duo of Cecilia Akpan and Edem Offiong defeated Funke Oshonaike and Fatimo Bello 3-2 (7-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-2, 13-11).

Nigeria thus won the gold and silver medal in the event.

As at the close of events on Tuesday, Nigeria has 12 Gold 11 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Egypt is still leading the pack with a massive 33 Gold medals already in the kitty.

South Africa, Tunisia, and Algeria are the other countries ahead of Nigeria on the medal standings.

Eliminated

Meanwhile, the Nigeria male national handball team have been eliminated from the All Africa Games in Morocco as they lost to Egypt 27-26 in the quarter-final.

The team played their heart out but just could not match the North African side as they fell short in scoring enough goals to advance to the semi-final.

The secretary-general of the Handball Federation of Nigeria, Maigidasanma Mohammed, described the defeat as “very painful” as he felt Nigeria showed determination and grit but could not overcome the North Africans.