Paralympic Games: Team Nigeria wins bronze in shot put, as total medals reach 8

Team Nigeria’s Eucharia Iyiazi, Thursday, won a bronze medal in women’s shot put at the ongoing 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Nigeria’s total medals now stand at 8, which includes three golds.

In the final of the event’s F57 class at the Olympic Stadium, Iyiazi had a season best throw of 10.40 metres to finish third and claim the bronze medal.

Algeria’s Safia Djelal, who is the world and Paralympic record-holder in the F56 class of the event, created a new world record in the F57 with 11.29m to win the gold medal.

China’s Xu Milan heaved 10.81m to finish second and win the silver medal.

Iyiazi’s victory took Nigeria’s medals tally at the Games to three gold, one silver and four bronze medals.

Earlier, Team Nigeria lost a game on Wednesday but gained a medal to the bargain at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, bringing their total Games’ haul to seven medals.

Nigeria lost 2-0 to Australia in the semi-finals of the men’s team Class 9 to 10 event of the table tennis competition.

In the doubles game, Tajudeen Agunbiade and Alabi Olufemi lost 3-1 to Australian pair Ma Lin and Joel Coughlan.

After losing the first set 12-10, the Nigerian team fought back to win 11-8, only to lose 12-10 again in the third set.

They however failed to keep up the momentum by losing the fourth set 11-5 for a 3-1 major score line.

Ma went on to beat Agunbiade 3-2 in the opening singles, coming from two sets down (8-11, 9-11) to win the final three sets 11-3, 11-9, 11-8.

The loss meant Australia went 2-0 up to make the third game, the singles involving Olufemi and Coughlan, unnecessary in this best-of-three fixture.

Australia will go on to face China on Friday in the final, after the Chinese beat Ukraine 2-0 in the other semi-final fixture.

Earlier, Team Nigeria lost a game on Wednesday but gained a medal to the bargain at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, bringing their total Games’ haul to seven medals.

Nigeria lost 2-0 to Australia in the semi-finals of the men’s team Class 9 to 10 event of the table tennis competition.

In the doubles game, Tajudeen Agunbiade and Alabi Olufemi lost 3-1 to Australian pair Ma Lin and Joel Coughlan.

After losing the first set 12-10, the Nigerian team fought back to win 11-8, only to lose 12-10 again in the third set.

They however failed to keep up the momentum by losing the fourth set 11-5 for a 3-1 major score line.

Ma went on to beat Agunbiade 3-2 in the opening singles, coming from two sets down (8-11, 9-11) to win the final three sets 11-3, 11-9, 11-8.

The loss meant Australia went 2-0 up to make the third game, the singles involving Olufemi and Coughlan, unnecessary in this best-of-three fixture.

Australia will go on to face China on Friday in the final, after the Chinese beat Ukraine 2-0 in the other semi-final fixture.

The 2020 Paralympics will end on Sunday.