Nigeria rounded off their participation at the 2022 African Powerlifting Open Championships in Cairo, Egypt yesterday with more gold medals and world records.
The country finished with eight individual gold medals and one in the team events, coming second overall behind hosts Egypt, who clinched 13 gold medals.
Nigeria posted strong performances, claiming the women’s team title along with the eight individual regional golds.
One of those gold medals was won by rising star Onyinyechi Mark, who broke a world record to win the women’s up to 61kg class.
Mark’s record lift of 143kg broke the record previously owned by fellow Nigerian Lucy Ejike. It was the first major gold medal for the 21-year-old Mark.
Veteran Bose Omolayo also broke her own world record with a 145kg lift in the women’s up to 79kg category.
It is the third African Championships title for the two-time Paralympic champion who had a great time in Cairo.
“This competition here, I like it. I am very happy. I like this competition a lot. And thank God for giving me the power to push the weights,” Omolayo said.
Loveline Obiji also made Nigeria proud with a last-gasp victory in the women’s over 86kg class.
She put up 145kg in her last lift to condemn Egyptian lifters Nadia Ali and Amany Ali to silver and bronze.
Ejike won silver in her event, finishing second behind Egypt’s Fatma Omar, who lifted 123kg in the up to 67kg class.
Cairo 2022, which started on Thursday and ended yesterday, wrapped up the regional championships season, after competitions in South Korea, United States of America and Georgia.
