Commonwealth Games: Female athletes shine, as Team Nigeria finish in overall 7th, first in Africa

Nigeria’s female athletes have taken the shine at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, as the championship closed on Monday with the country finishing seventh on the overall medals table with 35 medals, comprising; 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze.

Ese Brume capped what was a wonderful day for Team Nigeria on day 10 of the Commonwealth Games, securing the Gold medal in the Women’s Long Jump event at the Alexander Stadium.

In the other events concluded on Sunday, Nigerian athlete Elizabeth Oshoba also won a medal as she claimed Silver for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Boxing over 54kg-57kg Featherweight category.

Of the 12 gold medals won by Team Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the female athletes accounted for all of them, as they dominated in regular and para-events, in track and field, freestyle wrestling, weightlifting.

Team Nigeria also placed first among African countries that participated at the Games.

In addition, it was the best championship for Team Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games as they claimed more gold medals than previous editions of the championships surpassing their 11 gold haul at the 1994, 2010, and 2014 by one more.

Aside the numerous national, continental and Commonwealth Games records broken and set at the championships, the athletes also placed a new marker after continuing from heir IAAF’s World Athletics Championships in Oregon, the United States, last July.

As the female athletes dominated the medals table, they also set more world and Games records at the championships.

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 closed on August 8.

Already the second set of Team Nigeria athletes, mostly wrestlers and powerlifters, who won medals at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham have received their cash rewards from the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

This was the second set of medal-winning athletes and their coaches to be rewarded at the Commonwealth Games.

At a brief ceremony at their camps on Saturday night in Birmingham, Chef De Mission of Team Nigeria, Dr Simon Ebhojiaye and some top officials of the Sports Ministry thanked the athletes and their coaches while presenting them with the cash rewards.

Recall that the sum of $25,000 was given to the first set of athletes and their coaches who were majorly the weightlifters.

Among those in the second set of athletes that received their cash rewards on Saturday were Gold medal winners, Odunayo Adekuoroye, Blessing Oborududu and Mercy Genesis.

All Team Nigeria’s 35 medal winners

1. Olarinoye Adenike Adijat –Gold in the women’s 55kg weightlifting

2. Edidiong Joseph Umoafia –Gold in men’s 67kg Weightlifting

3. Rafiatu Folashade Lawal –Bronze in women’s 59kg Weightlifting

4. Islamiyat Adebukola –Bronze in women’s 64kg weight lifting

5. Taiwo Laidi –silver in women’s 76kg weightlifting

6. Mary Taiwo Osijo – Bronze in women’s 87kg weightlifting

7. Chioma Onyekwere –Gold in women’s discus

8. Obiageri Amechi –Bronze in women’s discus

9. Innocent Nnamdi –Bronze in men’s lightweight powerlifting category

10. Goodness Chiemerie Nwachukwu – Gold inF42 Discus

11. Folashade Oluwafemiayo –Gold in women’s Heavyweight Powerlifting

12. Bose Omolayo –Silver in women’s Heavyweight Powerlifting

13. Ikechukwu Obichukwu –SIlver in medal in men’s Heavyweight Powerlifting

14. Odunayo Adekuoroye –Gold in women’s 57kg Freestyle wrestling

15. Blessing Oborududu –Gold in women’s 68kg Freestyle Wrestling

16. Esther Kolawole –Bronze in women’s 62kg freestyle wrestling

17. Eucharia Iyiazi –Gold in women’s F55-57 Shot Put

18. Ugochi Alam –Bronze in women’s F55-57 Shot Put

19. Faith Obazuaye –Bronze women’s Singles Classes 6-10 Para Table

20. Miesinnei Mercy Genesis – Gold in women’s Wrestling Freestyle 50kg

21. Ebikewenimo Welson –Silver in men’s Freestyle 57kg Wrestling

22. Ogbonna John –Bronze in the men’s Freestyle 74kg

23. Ogunkunle Isau –Bronze in the Men’s Singles Classes 3-5 Para Table

24. Cynthia Ogunsemilore –Bronze in the women’s Boxing Lightweight

25. Hannah Rueben –Silver medal in the 76kg women’s Wrestling

26. Nasiru Sule –Silver Men’s Singles Classes 3-5 Para Table

27. Ifeanyi Onyekwere –Bronze in men’s boxing Super-heavyweight

28. Jacinta Umunnakwe –Bronze in the Women’s Middleweight event.

29. Ifechukwude Christiana Ikpeoyi –Silver in Women’s Para Table-Tennis

30. Favour Ofili –Silver in women’s 200m

31. Tobi Amusan –Gold in women’s 100m hurdles

32. Udodi Onwuzuruike, Favour Ashe, Alaba Akintola, Raymond Ekevwo –Bronze in the men’s 4x100m relay

33. Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, Grace Nwokocha –Gold in women’s 4x100m relay

34. Ese Brume – –Gold in women’s Long Jump

35. Elizabeth Oshoba –Silver women boxing over 54kg-57kg (Featherweight)