After a barren Wednesday, Team Nigeria at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham bounced strongly on Thursday scooping two gold, one silver and one bronze medal for a total of five gold, two silver and five bronze medals.
Women Para Discus thrower, Nwachukwu Chiemerie, won gold after she threw 34.84 to set a new World Record in the event.
She also erased her own World Record of 33.35 which she achieved on March 20, 2022 in South Africa.
Team Nigeria wins more medals in Birmingham
After winning silver, Team Nigeria harvests near misses in Birmingham
The other gold medal was won by Folashade Oluwafemiayo who broke the world record in women’s heavy while Bose Omolayo won silver in the same heavyweight powerlifting category.
Nnamdi Innocent also won Team Nigeria’s fifth bronze medal in Para Powerlifting men’s lightweight category.
There were also positive results for Team Nigeria in other events as Abiodun Bode and Aruna Quadri progressed to the round of 16 in the men’s doubles against Team Cyprus.
Ifeanyi Onyewere defeated Canadian Mouafo Feujo in the quarterfinals of the heavyweight category to book a semi-final ticket just as Ogunkunle Isau also qualified for the semifinals of the Para Table Tennis of Men’s Singles Classes 3-5.
In the same vein, Udodi Onwuzurike, Emmanuel Ojeli and Alaba Akintola are through to the semi-finals of the men’s 200m event.
Onwuzurike won his heat, Ojeli and Akintola finished third in their heats but made it through as two of the best non automatic qualifiers.
However, the bad news emanating from the camp of Team Nigeria is that two para-athletes, Onyinyechi Gift Mark and Latifat Tijani, have been disqualified from further competition in Birmingham.
According to reports, the two athletes in the Women’s Para-Powerlifting were disqualified because they allegedly arrived at the venue after the deadline for kit inspection.
However, a brief statement from an aide to the sports minister stated that the athletes didn’t arrive late as reported.
“Team Nigeria powerlifters did not arrive late for their event. There was also no query about the kits as they were approved at the technical meeting held on August 1, 2022.
“The decision to disqualify the duo has been appealed by Nigeria to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC),” he said in a WhatsApp message.
