It was a mixed feelings on Saturday as Paralympic Games record holder in the women -61kg Para-Powerlifting, Lucy Ejike settled for bronze, while Innocent Nnamdi missed out on medal’s chat.
Newsnigeriaonline.com.ng recalls that Latifat Tijani set the pace as the first athlete to win medal for Nigeria at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Japan, when she claimed gold in the powerlifting 45kg category on Thursday.
Ejike also is the World recorder was pushed two steps down to settle for bronze at the event.
Having successfully listed 130kg in her first attempt lost the pole position to old time rival, Amalia Perez of Mexico who lifted 131kg in her final attempt to improve on the 125 and 126kg first and second attempts.
Kuziena Ruza of Uzbekistan took the silver with her final lift of 130kg improving after failing to lift 126kg in her first and second attempts.
Ejike booked 135kg in her second and final chance, but was flagged red by all three judges on both occasions.
Earlier in the day, Nigeria’s entry in the -71kg class, Innocent Nnamdi, also failed to record any score having failed to lift the 200kg he booked in all three attempts.
Reigning World and Paralympic champion, Guskon Bonnie Bunyau of Malaysia retained his title with a final 228kg lift while Egypt’s Atria Mohammed picked silver with 191kg in his final attempt, leaving the bronze for Yule Micky of Great Britain who started with 180kg and finished with 182kg.
