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Tag: Weightlifting

  • Paris 2024: 2024: Nigeria’s Weightlifter, Rafiatu Lawal begins quest for medal in weightlifting

    Paris 2024: 2024: Nigeria’s Weightlifter, Rafiatu Lawal begins quest for medal in weightlifting

    Nigeria’s Weightlifters at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games will begin chase for medals on Thursday, August 8th, 2024 when Rafiatu Lawal files out in the Women’s 59 kg weight class at the South Paris Arena inside Paris Expo Complex.

     

    Rafiatu got the nod to represent Nigeria in Paris after she qualified having garnered the needed points in various Championships she attended and has she marked her Olympic debut she carries the aspirations and hope of other Nigerians who expect her to give a good account of herself in Paris.

     

    Lawal a 27-year-old lifter is twice African Champion at the African Games in 2019 and 2023 in Morocco and Ghana and she’s also a Commonwealth Games champion in Birmingham 2022.

     

    All eyes will be on her as from 2pm on Thursday as she confronts other 10 weightlifters from around the globe to compete for the Olympic Games medals at stake in the Women’s 59kg.

     

    The Weightlifter will be up against reigning Olympic champion in the weight class, 30-year-old Chinese Taipel’s Chun Hsing Kuo. Kuo also won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

     

    Shifang Luo of China who at just 23 years is the current World Record Holder in the weight class with a lift of 248kg is another strong competitor against the Nigerian. She’s making her Olympics debut and has come with so much promise while another 2021 Olympic Games Gold medallist in the Women’s 64kg, Charron Maude of Canada is another lifter to be on the lookout for.

     

    Others to compete against Lawal are Ann Elreen Ando (Philippines), Anyelin Venegas (Venezuela), Lucrezia Magistris (Italy), Yenny Alvarez (Colombia), Mathlynn Sasser (Marshall Islands), Kamila Konotop (Ukraine), Dora Tchakoute (France), and Mexican’s Valdivia Gomez.

     

    Lawal told NWF Media that she hopes to make the most of her Olympics debut and that she’s ready to give her all in her determined zeal to make a lasting impression in Paris in all her lifts.

     

    She said she’s in high spirit and turbo charged to ensure Nigeria ranks among the best in the Women’s 59kg at the end of Thursday when results are out.

     

    “I have prepared very well for this and eager to give my best in Paris, France. The Nigeria Weightlifting Federation under the able leadership of Dr. Ibrahim Abdul started a good job camping us before the Ministry of Sports took over and it is my personal wish to do my best in the competition,” Lawal told NWF Media.

     

    “It is my Olympic Games debut but I am not greenhorn because I have taken part in many competitions that have equipped me for moments like this. I am going to the competition with the high hopes of giving my all to defend my fatherland.”

     

    The President Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Dr. Ibrahim Abdul charged Lawal to imbibe Nigeria’s I can do spirit while also charging her to recall the techniques that have worked for her in her preparations for the Olympic Games.

     

    The NWF President nonetheless urged her to go all out and aspire to finish in the medal zone.

     

    He said the NWF is solidly behind her and beckoned on her to mark her Olympics debut with the performance that would be the talking point for years to come.

     

    “We in the NWF know what Rafiatu can do and we are solidly behind her as she compete in the Women’s 59kg on Thursday. We have prepared her and her second for the Olympic Games in the best way possible and we expect her to give a good account of herself in Paris, France,” the NWF President said.

     

    Dr. Abdul urged Nigerians to support both weightlifters especially Rafiatu Lawal who compete first on Thursday afternoon.

     

  • Olympics: Joy Eze hopes to make record debut in Weightlifting

    Olympics: Joy Eze hopes to make record debut in Weightlifting

    As the Weightlifting event starts on Wednesday, August 7, Nigeria’s weightlifter, Joy Ogbonne Eze who will be competing in the women’s 71kg category has affirmed that making a lasting impression in Paris 2024 remains her dreams in her Olympics debut.

     

    Eze, who grabbed three gold medals at the 2023 African Games in Ghana told NWF Media that she never doubted her ability after remarkably booking her ticket to the quadrennial competition.

     

    “I was short of words when I got the information that I have picked a ticket to the Olympic Games. It will be my debut at the Olympics and I want to make the most of it,” Eze said in an interview with NWFL Media.

     

    “I have been putting so much work and efforts at training sessions and I hope to continue with that until the start of our competition.

     

    “I am grateful to the hard working NWF President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul and his board members, for the efforts to open camp for us immediately we qualified for the Olympic Games. We trained for like two months before the Ministry of Sports took over last month.

     

    “The opportunity to go to Germany for a closed camping exercise is a good gesture that will enable me to perform at optimum at the Olympic Games. I promised to give my best as I strive to represent my fatherland.

     

    The 20-year-old is a two-time gold medallist at the African Games in 2019 and 2023 in Morocco and Ghana and she also won the gold medal in the women’s 64 kg event at the 2021 African Weightlifting Championships in Nairobi, Kenya among other numerous accolades.

     

    She vowed to do her best to follow in the footsteps of Ruth Ogbeifo and Mariam Usman who both won silver and bronze medals for Nigeria at the Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the 75kg and +75kg weight classes in that order.

     

    The Weightlifting event at the Paris Olympic will commence on Wednesday, August 7.

     

     

  • Paris Olympic: Debutant Rafiatu Lawal targets podium finish in Weightlifting 

    Paris Olympic: Debutant Rafiatu Lawal targets podium finish in Weightlifting 

    One of Nigeria’s weightlifters to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Rafiatu Lawal remains confident of podium finishing despite facing the rest of the world at the quadrennial event for the first time.

     

    The Team Nigeria women’s weightlifter, Lawal assured Nigerians the weightlifters would put up their very best in their maiden appearance at the Olympic Games.

     

    The weightlifter said she’s eager to join the list of Olympians who have won Olympic Games medals in the past for Nigeria particularly in weightlifting.

     

    Nigeria has won only two medals in weightlifting since the start of her participation in the four year competition in Helsinki, Finland in 1952.

     

    Ruth Ogbeifo won Nigeria’s first ever weightlifting medal in the year 2000 at Sydney, Australia, a silver medal in the 75kg while Mariam Usman, a four time African Champion bagged the second medal for Nigeria, a bronze medal in the +75kg at the 2008 Games in Beijing, China.

     

    Lawal who has ruled Africa and Commonwealth Games in successive competitions booked a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France in the 59kg while Joy Eze is also through to the Olympics in the 71kg having also dominated Africa in her weight class.

     

    Lawal lifted a combined total lift of 227kg, with a snatch of 101kg as well as 126kg in Clean and Jerk in the 2024 IWF World Championship in Thailand set a new African record in the women’s 59kg and also picked her Olympics ticket.

     

    The Commonwealth Games Champion told Nigeria Weightlifting Federation Media that she’s thrilled to be on the plane to Paris.

     

    Lawal said she’s happy to travel on training tours having trained for over two months in Nigeria, stressing that the trip would boost her performance at the Olympics.

     

    Having conquered African Games, Senior Weightlifting Championships and Commonwealth Games, the African Champion believes she can be one of the most successful weightlifters come out of Africa if she can add an Olympic medal to her haul.

     

    “I am super excited to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games; I have never felt this happy in my life since I started competing. It is also a thing of joy to set another African record en route to the Olympic Games,” Lawal told NWF Media.

     

    “I had previously said that the most important thing to compete well at this level was proper funding and adequate preparations. I can boldly say that I have had the best of build-up in Nigeria. We were in camp courtesy of our hardworking President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) Dr Ibrahim Abdul for over close to two months before the Ministry of Sports took over the athletes preparations.

     

    “I am delighted to be on the training tour in Germany and this will help me to hit form before the start of the Olympic Games.

     

    “My motivating factor is from my childhood. I have always had it in mind that I want to become one of the most successful sports personalities in Africa when I grow up. I am happy the coast is becoming clearer.

     

    She applauded Oyo State Governor, Eng. Seyi Makinde, for his constant support while calling on those administering sports in the country to give maximum attention to many medal producing sports including weightlifting since a weightlifter can win as much as three medals in a weight class.

     

    The African Games triple gold medallist continued: “I want to thank the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde for his efforts in transforming sports in the state. He has focused on other sports and is trying his best to give us a sense of belonging.

     

    “We need more recognition and support from the Nigerian Government. President Bola Tinubu needs to give 100% attention to other sports, which always dominate medals when it comes to competition time.”

     

    Lawal applauded the relentless spirit of the President of NWF, Dr. Abdul for ensuring she attended all the Olympic Qualifiers from where she got her ticket.

     

    She said: “My message to the weightlifting family: I appreciate everyone that supports me in one way or another, especially the President of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Dr Ibrahim Abdul.

     

    “At the beginning of the Olympic qualification, he said he will try all his possible best to make sure weightlifting qualifies for the Paris Olympic Games because we did not feature at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. In most cases, the President funds our various International Championships with the support of other board members. I want to thank them all for ensuring my dream becomes a reality.”

     

    Lawal set a Games record of 206kg from her snatch and clean and jerk lifts at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the women’s 59kg weightlifting. She has already conquered the continent by picking 59kg gold at the 2019 African Games in Morocco, the 2021 African Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent and 2023 African Games in Ghana.

     

    The Weightlifting event at the Paris Olympic will commence on Wednesday, August 7.

     

  • 13th African Games: Team Nigeria finish second in weightlifting

    13th African Games: Team Nigeria finish second in weightlifting

    The weightlifting event at the ongoing African gams has ended with team Nigeria finishing second in the category.

    Both male and female lifters won a total of 32 medals comprising of Gold, Silver and Bronze.

    Nigerian lifters won 16 gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze medals to come second behind leading country Egypt.

    Egypt, who continued her dominance in the sport, had a total of 24 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals.

    Apart from Morufat Folarin who got injured  on day 1 of the competition, all 12 Nigerian lifters won at least a medal.

    The African Games weightlifting event, which began on Saturday, March 9th, was rounded off on Friday, March 15, 2024, at the University of Ghana, Legon.

    Nigeria weightlifting team will return home with their shoulders held high, having retained their second position, which they achieved in Rabat, Morocco, four years ago.

  • Africa Games: Dominant Nigeria lifters win nine gold medals In weightlifting on Monday

    Africa Games: Dominant Nigeria lifters win nine gold medals In weightlifting on Monday

    Nigeria weightliers on Monday showed class and dominance as they won all the nine gold medals on display on Day 3 of the Weightlifting event at the on-going 2023 Africa Games in Ghana.
    The 55kg and 59kg women categories and 67kg men category gold medals were won by Nigerians.
    At the Africa Games, nine medals are won in each category of snatch, clean and jerk and total. The winner in snatch is awarded a gold medal, same in clean and jerk and total.
    Three Nigerians, Adijat Olarinoye, Rafiatu Lawal and Edidiong Umoafia won all the nine gold medals on display yesterday at the University of Ghana, Legon.
    Competing in the 55kg class, 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Adijat Olarinoye won gold in snatch with 80kg lift, won gold in clean and jerk with 105kg lift before picking the 3rd gold in total with 185kg lift.
    On her part, 2022 Commonwealth Games gold winner, Rufiatu Lawal also claimed all the three gold medals in the 59kg class. She snatched 85kg, recorded 105kg in clean and jerk and also collected the gold medal in total with 190kg lift.
    Making his debut in 67kg class, Edidiong Umoafia showed why he remained a dominant force in weightlifting in Africa and the world after he amassed all the gold medals in that category.
    His quest to the historic triumph began with 135kg lift in snatch as well as 165kg in clean and jerk with a total of 300kg.
    So far, Team Nigeria Weightlifting have won a total of 14 medals in Weightlifting event of the 13th Africa Games.
    Recall that on Day 1 of the event, the duo of King Kalu and Favour Agboro won five medals; while Kalu won two bronze medals in 55kg men class, Agboro won two silver and a bronze in the 61kg class.
  • Olympics Qualifier: Team Nigeria wins 6 medals at weightlifting championship in Egypt

    Olympics Qualifier: Team Nigeria wins 6 medals at weightlifting championship in Egypt

    Team Nigeria weightlifters, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal and Adijat Adenike Olarinoye on Monday won six medals at the ongoing 2024 Africa Senior Weightlifting Championship in Egypt.

    Competing in the 59kg women’s category, Lawal and Adijat dominated the category as they carted away the top prizes on the first day of the championship which also serves as Paris 2024 Olympics qualifier.

    Lawal, gold medal winner in Tunisia last year, established her superiority in the category as she once again claimed all the available three gold medals.

    She won the first gold with a lift of 95kg in snatch, claimed another gold in clean and jerk with 119kg before winning her third gold medal in total, with 214kg.

    Adijat on her part, followed suit on her previous year’s outing as she claimed all the three silver medals with 94kg in snatch, 115kg in clean and jerk and 209kg in total.

    Meanwhile, Edidiong Umoafia Joseph will today at noon seek to consolidate Nigeria’s quest for more medals and a place in the Paris Olympics scheduled to begin in July, as he competes in the 73kg men’s category.

    Umoafia won a silver and two bronze medals at the Tunisia 2023 edition in spite of him competing with injury.

    Nigeria’s participation in the championship will be rounded off on Wednesday when Joy Eze Ogbonne competes in the 71kg women’s category.

  • Asaba 2022: Stay out of drugs – Dr Abdul charges lifters

    Asaba 2022: Stay out of drugs – Dr Abdul charges lifters

    The President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF Dr Ibrahim Abdul has charged the lifters to eschew drug usage and compete for honour as the weightlifting event begins on Monday at the National Sports Festival, NSF, Delta 2022.
    The President who stated this on Sunday, on the eve of weightlifting event noted that the federation has zero tolerance for use of performance-enhancing substance and urged the athletes to compete clean.
    “There is no doubt that the atmosphere here (in Asaba) is motivating and the athletes are gearing to go. While both the athletes and officials wait with excitement for the commencement of weightlifting on Monday, as a federation, we have provided all that are need for them to excel.
    “But they must compete clean and neat. We have zero tolerance for use of performance-enhancing substances. The athletes should compete for honour and make their states proud.”
    The Weightlifting event will begin by 9am on Monday at the Orchid Hotel, by DBS junction, Asaba.
  • Commonwealth Games: Yusuf clinches fourth medal for Nigeria

    Commonwealth Games: Yusuf clinches fourth medal for Nigeria

    Nigerian Weightlifter, Islamiyat Yusuf has won the fourth medal for the country at the ongoing 2022 Commonwealth Games holding in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

    Yusuf clinched the bronze medal in the women’s weightlifting 64kg event after lifting a combined total of 212kg from both the Snatch, Clean & Jerk.

    Maude Charron representing Canada won the gold medal while Sarah Cochrane from Australia finished second to win the silver medal.

    Monday’s bronze medal is the fourth medal for Nigeria in the weightlifting event where the country had earlier won two gold and another bronze medal.

    All Nigeria’s medals so far have come from weightlifting.

    Yusuf’s bronze feat means Team Nigeria remains in the ninth position with two gold and two bronze medals

  • Commonwealth Games: Lawal delivers second gold for Nigeria

    Commonwealth Games: Lawal delivers second gold for Nigeria

    Folashade on Sunday afternoon won Nigeria’s second gold medal in 59kg women category. With a total lift of 206kg comprising 90kg snatch and 116kg clean and jerk. She also set a new Commonwealth Games record in the class.

    Lawal beat her rivals in the women’s weightlifting 59kg event, setting a Commonwealth Games record in the process.

    She is the second Nigerian female lifter to smash the Games’ record after Adijat Olarinoye produced a stunning lift in the women’s 55kg on Saturday.

    Olarinoye won Team Nigeria’s first medal at the games on Saturday.

    The 26 -year- old followed the footprint of her compatriot, Olarinoye Adenike Adijat who had on Saturday night won Nigeria’s first gold medal in weightlifting event.
    Earlier on Sunday morning, Edidiong Joseph Umoafia narrowly lost the gold medal but settled for bronze. He lifted a total of 290kg in the 67kg men’s category comprising 130kg snatch and 160kg clean and jerk to be placed 3rd.
    Reacting to the medals haul so far, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul attributed the success story so far to God’s blessings as well as early preparations.
    “First of all, I cannot control my joy at this point. Yesterday I said that Nigerians should expect more medals from weightlifting. I said that because I know the quality of lifters we brought to Birmingham. Committed, hard working children who are ready to continue to do the country proud.
    “Our success stories so far are evidences of Gods blessings upon us and good preparations. We camped these athletes in Lokoja for complete three months ahead of the Games and today, God is rewarding our efforts with medals.
    “We have 9 athletes in weightlifting, five have competed and we have three medals – two gold (with new Commonwealth Games records set) and a bronze medals. The other four athletes who will be in action tomorrow and next are in high spirit. They have been motivated by the heroics of their mates and I assure Nigerians that more medals are coming,” he told Nigeria Weightlifting Federation Media in Birmingham.
    Nigeria’s hunt for more medals will continue on Monday, August 1 as two lifters will be in action Islamiat Yusuf who won gold in Mauritius in Africa Championship will set Nigeria’s drive in 64kg women’s category by 2:00pm before her compatriot Joy Eze will be competing in the 71kg women category by 6:30pm.
    Liadi Taiwo will be in action on Tuesday in 76kg women category by 9-30am while Osijo Mary Taiwo will test action on Wednesday when she will feature in the 87kg women category by 4pm.
  • Commonwealth Games: Nigeria’s Olarinloye wins first gold medal, set record

    Commonwealth Games: Nigeria’s Olarinloye wins first gold medal, set record

    Nigerian weightlifter Adijat Olarinoye has won her way to the podium by winning the country’s first Gold medal at the commonwealth games held in Birmingham.

    She made the feat possible by finishing first in the women’s 55kg weightlifting event and also setting a Commonwealth games record in the process.

    The 23-year-old clinched gold by lifting a combined total lift of 203kg – 92kg in Snatch and 111 in Clean & Jerk – to win the women’s 55kg weightlifting event and also set a new African record

    India’s Bindyarani Sorokhaibam, who also set a new Games record for Clean & Jerk (202kg – 86kg in Snatch and 116kg in Clean & Jerk) won silver, while England’s Fraser Morrow claimed bronze after lifting a total of 198kg – 89kg in Snatch and 109kg in Clean and Jerk.

    Nigeria is presently occupying the 9th position on the Medals table a feat possible after Olarinloye won Gold in her event,

    Australia is occupying the first position with 13 gold, eight silver, and 11 bronze medals.

    Olarinoye had won three gold medals at the 2019 Africa Games three gold medals as a medalist.

    She also won Nigeria’s second gold medal at the 2021 International Weightlifting Federation World Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

    Meanwhile, In the women’s 49 weightlifting event, Nigeria’s Stella Peter Kingsley narrowly missed out on a podium finish.

    She finished fourth behind India’s Chanu Saikhom Mirabai, Marie Hanitra Roilya Ranaivosoa of Mauritius, and Canada’s Hannah Kaminski who shared the medals respectively in ascending order.