Nigeria’s weightlifting juggernaut continued to blaze a trail of dominance at the African Senior Weightlifting Championship, racking up an astonishing 15 medals—10 gold, 4 silver, and 1 bronze—from just five lifters by the end of Thursday’s sessions.
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The latest gold rush came courtesy of Ruth Imoleayo Ayodele, who stole the spotlight in the women’s 64kg category. Ayodele lifted 93kg in the snatch, followed by a 120kg clean & jerk, bringing her total to 213kg and securing a clean sweep of three gold medals.
Earlier in the day, the tone had been set by Onome Omolola Didih in the women’s 55kg class, whose dominant performance of 92kg (snatch) and 111kg (clean & jerk) earned her three gold medals and left the rest of the field trailing.
The ever-reliable Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, a multiple African champion and 2022 Commonwealth Games queen, followed suit in the 59kg category. With a 95kg snatch and 118kg clean & jerk, her total of 213kg was yet another golden hat-trick.
On the men’s side, Umoafia Joseph Edidiong delivered a powerful showing in the 73kg category. His 147kg snatch earned him a gold medal, while his 172kg clean & jerk and 319kg total brought home two silvers, narrowly missing out on a full sweep.
Tuesday Emmanuel also rose to the occasion in the 67kg class, collecting two silver medals and a bronze with a combined lift of 276kg (130kg snatch, 146kg clean & jerk), showcasing the depth of talent in Team Nigeria.
With every Nigerian weightlifter earning three medals, the nation’s total medal haul surged to 15, firmly placing Nigeria at the top of the championship leaderboard.
The campaign isn’t over yet. On Friday evening, Sarah Ovayioza Matthew will close Nigeria’s participation in the women’s 76kg, with high hopes she’ll add to the glittering tally.
Among the standouts, Umoafia Edidiong reflected on his near-perfect performance:
“I am happy to add to the medals I have won for my nation, but I know I could do better. I’ll improve on my mistakes and perfect my tactics for next time,” he said.
He also praised the support from the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, led by Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, and the National Sports Commission, whose efforts ensured Team Nigeria made it to Mauritius.
“We are grateful to our hardworking Board and the NSC for making this possible. We’ll go back home, train harder, and come back even stronger.”
As Nigeria prepares to wrap up its campaign, one thing is clear: Africa’s weightlifting crown belongs to the Green and White.
