Another weightlifting gold for Nigeria

Monday, 28 JTEAM Nigeria has picked up a second gold medal at the ongoing Glasgow Commonwealth Games bringing the country's total haul to six after Oluwatoyin Adesanmi and Obioma Okoli won gold and silver in weightlifting yesterday.

Proving to be an event in which Nigeria can compete on an equal footing with anyone else, weightlifting has once more been a sport in which the nation's athletes have proven their mettle. Yesterday, in the women's 63kg category, Oluwatoyin and Obioma both lifted a total of 207kg to take the two top spots.

In the snatch, Oluwatoyin lifted 92kg and then hauled 115kg in the clean and jerk, while Obioma lifted 90kg in the snatch and 117kg in the clean and jerk. After three tries, both of them were tied on the same total, leaving officials with no option but to decide who won gold and silver according to body weight.

Being lighter at 62kg, Oluwatoyin was declared the winner as is one kilogramme lighter than defending champion Obioma who weighs 63kg. Nigeria now leads overall in the weightlifting competition in both male and female categories with two gold, three silver and one bronze medals.

There was further good news for Nigeria in the athletics yesterday when all the nation's three 100 metres male runners qualified from their heats. Mark Jelks qualified from heat three with a time of 10.28, Mozavous Edwards sailed through from heat six with a time of 10.40 seconds, while Ogho-Oghene Egwero qualified with a time of 10.38 in heat eight.