Nigeria’s medal haul at the ongoing 2023 Africa Games in Ghana got a major boost on Monday as Edidiong Umoafia won three gold medals in Weightlifting.
Making his debut in the 67kg men category, Umoafia won all the three gold medals in snatch, clean & jerk and Total.
He lifted a 135kg in snatch and 165kg in clean and jerk to record a total of 300kg which secured the three gold medals for team Nigeria.
His feat has scaled Nigeria’s Weightlifting medal haul to eight after King Kalu (two bronze medal and Favour (two silver and a bronze medals) set the ball rolling on Sunday.
Meanwhile, on Sunday evening, Team Nigeria won five medals in Weightlifting at the ongoing 13th edition of Africa Games in Ghana.
The duo of King Kalu and Favour Agboro won the five medals comprising two silver and three bronze.
Competing in 55kg men category, King Kalu had a lift of 87kig in snatch before recording 115kg in clean and jerk to make a total of 202kg.
On his part, Favour Agboro won two silver and a bronze in 61kg men category. He won silver medals in clean and jerk and Total and a bronze in snatch.
He had 113kg in snatch and 140kg in clean and jerk with a total of 253kg to win the medals.
Nigeria’s third lifter on Sunday, Folarin Morufat in 45kg women category could not finish her competition midway after she sustained severe injury and could not continue.
Nigeria Weightlifters continue their push for more medals today on Day 3 of Weightlifting event at the 13th Africa Games in Accra.
Weightlifting event is holding at the University of Accra, Legon.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria has moved to the fourth position on the overall medals table at the ongoing African Games in Ghana with 10 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals.
The country took a big leap in the standings after amassing seven gold medals on Sunday in Wrestling and Badminton.
After days of heartbreaks and near-misses, Anuoluwapo Opeyori delivered the first gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Badminton men’s single event.
Spectacular performances followed this in the women’s wrestling event where all six wrestlers representing Nigeria won gold medals.
