Ezuruike Sets World Record As He Wins First Gold For Nigeria At Rio Paralympics

Ezuruike Sets World Record As He Wins First Gold For Nigeria At Rio Paralympics

Team Nigeria has won its first gold medal at the ongoing Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after powerlifter Roland Ezuruike came tops in the 54kg category on Friday.

This is coming a few hours after Nigeria claimed its first medal at the Games when another powerlifter, Latifat Tijani won silver in the females 54kg category, narrowly missing on gold to China’s Dandan Hu.

Team Nigeria has clinched its first medal at the ongoing Paralympics in Rio, Brazil after powerlifting athlete Latifat Tijani took home Silver in the women’s 45kg Power lifting event.

Tijani came in second after a close competition in the finals, lifting a remarkable, one kilo short of the feat of China’s Hu Dandan who set a new world record with her 107kg lift.

She entered the competition at 101, a kilo ahead of other competitors whose best shots fell below 100.

 

Ezuruike, who was part of Nigeria’s powerlifters that won 11 medals and broke three world records at last year’s Powerlifting World Open Asian Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, set a new world record at the Paralympics by lifting 200kg.

Coming in his slipstream are Wang Jian of China and Greece’s Dimitros Bakochristos who completed the podium with silver and bronze medals respectively.

His feat sees Nigeria surge up the medals table to 14th and second in Africa after Tunisia, although China and Britain still sit atop the standings with 23 and 15 medals respectively.