Although they started slowly, Nigerian athletes at the ongoing 2015 All Africa Games changed gear yesterday as they garnered more medals to shoot up on the medals table.
At the end of yesterday’s events, Team Nigeria’s medal haul came to 60 which was enough to take the country to third place behind Egypt and South Africa.
Nigeria’s 60 medals medals includes 10 gold, 20 silver and 30 bronze which were won in Badminton, Weightlifting, Gymnastics, Cycling, Karate and athletics.
Meanwhile, yesterday, Nigeria’s most decorated table tennis player, Segun Toriola led his team mates to share the spoils in team events with African table tennis powerhouse, Egypt.
Unbeaten throughout, Toriola inspired the team to win gold in the men’s team event after beating their perennial rivals Egypt 3-2 even as the Nigerian girls fell to their Egyptian opponents to settle for silver.
It will be recalled that Team Nigeria’s performance picked up beginning from Thursday when the country won three gold, eight silver and nine bronze medals in Weightlifting and Badminton events respectively.
Nigeria’s performance in the women’s weightlifting was also impressive. In the 75kg category, Otunlabilkis Abiodun won three gold medals; Winifred Eze Ndidi, competing in the 69kg weight category, won three silver medals; while in the men’s 85kg, Anyolewachi Micheal won bronze medal.
With other events like powerlifting and wrestling which are some of Nigeria’s strongholds billed to commence today, team Nigeria will be hoping to garner more medals in attempt to wrestle the leadership position from Egypt.
See more AAG stories on page 62
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