Folashade Lawal Rafiatu
Commonwealth Games: Team Nigeria clinch second gold, take medal tally to three
Team Nigeria have clinched their second gold medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, the United Kingdom, with the tally now three medals, consisting of two gold and one bronze.
This follows as another athlete in the contingent, Folashade Lawal Rafiatu, late Sunday, won a second gold medal by setting a Games record with 206kg in the Women’s 59kg weightlifting event.
Earlier, female weightlifter, Adijat Olarinoye had won the country’s first gold medal, while another athlete, Edidiong Umoafia clinching bronze in the same weightlifting event.
Olarinoye lifted a total of 203kg to win the gold medal ahead of her Indian counterpart, Bindayareni who lifted 202kg to win the Silver medal in the 55kg category
England’s Fraer Morrow came third, lifting a total of 198kg to win the bronze medal.
The Nigerian lifted a new Games record of 92kg in the snatch and another 111kg in the clean and jerk to lift a total of 203kg to win the gold medal.
Also, Edidiong Umoafia on Sunday morning clinched the bronze medal in the men’s 67kg weightlifting event to bag Nigeria’s second medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Umoafia lifted a combined 290kg to get on the podium.
India’s Jeremy Lalrinnunga won the gold medal with a grand total of 300kg, which is also a new Commonwealth Games record.
Samoa’s veteran lifter Vaipava Ioane won the silver with a combined lift of 293kg.
Umoafia’s medal comes a day after Adijat Olarinoye clinched gold to earn Nigeria the first medal at the competition.
The 23-year-old also set a new Commonwealth Games record with a total of 203kg.
The competition has yet to commence in Team Nigeria’s area of strength like wrestling, track & field and Para weightlifting.
The XXII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Birmingham 2022, is an international multi-sports event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Games which began on July 28 and is expected to climax on August 8, this year.
