Team Nigeria weightlifters Rafiatu Folashade Lawal and Adijat Adenike Olarinoye won six medals at the current 2024 Africa Senior Weightlifting Championship on Monday, in Egypt.
Lawal and Adijat dominated the 59kg women’s division, winning the top awards on the opening day of the event, which also acts as a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Lawal, the gold medal winner in Tunisia last year, reaffirmed her dominance in the category by winning all three available gold medals.
She earned her first gold medal in snatch with a lift of 95kg, another in clean and jerk with 119kg, and her third overall with 214kg.
Adijat, for her part, repeated her performance from the previous year, winning three silver medals: 94kg in snatch, 115kg in clean and jerk, and a total of 209kg.
Meanwhile, Edidiong Umoafia Joseph will participate in the 73kg men’s category today at noon, hoping to reinforce Nigeria’s quest for additional medals and a berth in the Paris Olympics, which begin in July.
Despite being injured, Umoafia earned a silver and two bronze medals at the Tunisia 2023 edition.
Nigeria’s participation in the competition will conclude on Wednesday with Joy Eze Ogbonne competing in the 71kg women’s division.
cc: Vanguard Ng
