The outstanding performance of Nigerian powerlifters at the ongoing Rio 2016 Paralympics is not coming as a surprise to many who are conversant with the dominance of the team at previous games.
With a total of nine medals, six gold, two silver and one bronze, Nigeria is placed 10 on the medals table and is leading other African nations that are taking part in the games.
It is interesting to note that five out of the six gold medals won by Nigeria so far in Rio are in the powerlifting event which has remained the country’s stronghold.
The other medals, two silver and a bronze medal are also from powerlifting which underscores the strength of the team.
Before now, the paralympians had won a whopping 15 gold medals beginning from the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics.
The present five medals won in Rio now brings the total number of gold medals won by the Paralympics team to 20 in seven Paralympics outing.
It will be recalled that on the opening day of competition in Rio, Roland Ezuruike picked up the country’s first gold medal at the Rio Paralympics in weight-lifting.
Other gold medals in powerlifting later came in Team Nigeria’s kitty from Team captain, Lucy Ejike, Bose Omolayo, Paul Kehinde and Ndidi Nwosu.
Latifat Tijanni and Esther Onyema contributed two silver medals while Nnamdi Innocent picked a bronze in the men’s 72 weight category.
The other gold medal won by Team Nigeria is in women’s Shot Put by Nollywood star, Lauritta Onye.
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