NWF President assures Nigerians of podium finish for Nigerian lifters

Posted : 06 August 2024

The President of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, has charged the Nigerian weightlifters participating in the ongoing 2024 Olympic Games in Paris to compete firmly and fairly.

The President gave the charge in Abuja while speaking about the expectations for the weightlifting event.

Nigeria is represented in the Olympic weightlifting event by two female lifters: Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, who will be competing in the 59kg class, and Joy Ọgbonne Eze, who is in the 71kg category.

Abdul disclosed that the federation is doing everything possible to ensure that the athletes return home with medals, adding that the lifters have been in camp since April, two months before the Ministry of Sports took over the camping in June.

He expressed confidence in the lifters and urged Nigerians to support them with prayers so that they may excel.

"We are happy with what we have done so far as far as these Olympic Games are concerned. We have two athletes representing us, both of whom are female. They withstood the rigors and pressure in the qualifying series to reach their first Olympic Games.

"They have come a long way because now they are competing among the world's best. I told them on the phone a few days ago that they should fear no foe. Everybody is beatable.

"Today I reinforce that statement and urge them to compete firmly and fairly. We have done everything from our end to give them the necessary support, including conducting doping tests on them regularly while they were in camp.

"I have no doubt that they will make our country proud. I urge Nigerians to support them with prayers. They are on the global stage, and we hope they will deliver," Dr. Ibrahim Abdul said.

The Nigerian lifters went to camp in Abuja shortly after returning to the country from Accra, Ghana, where they participated in the 13th edition of the Africa Games hosted by Ghana. Both Lawal and Eze won three gold medals each in their respective classes.

From Abuja, they flew to Germany, where they had a week of camping before arriving in France on July 27 for another closed camp. The athletes are currently in Paris.

The weightlifting event at the Paris Olympics will begin on Tuesday, August 7, 2024.

NWF President provided more insights on the camping and commended the Ministry of Sports for their support.

"They were camped in three places: Abuja, Germany, and France. Shortly after their Africa Games, where they both won three gold medals each, we opened camp for them in Abuja because we wanted them to remain in a competitive mood.

"When the government took over, they went to Germany to continue their camping, and later they flew to France. The France camping was organized by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF).

"The France camping was a kind of closed camp competition that allowed them to compete with others. It helped them to be in a competitive spirit.

"It was from there that they arrived in Paris, and they are ready to be on stage when the weightlifting event starts on Wednesday.

"Let me also use this medium to thank the Federal Government through the Minister of Sports for their support. Our athletes are good to go, and they will make us proud.

Lawal and Eze will be aiming to better Nigeria's weightlifting performance at the Olympics, where the federation has won two medals: a silver and a bronze in the 2000 and 2008 Olympics.

Ruth Ogbeifo won Nigeria’s first-ever weightlifting medal in the year 2000 in Sydney, Australia, a silver medal in the 75kg, while Mariam Usman, a four-time African Champion, bagged the second medal for Nigeria, a bronze medal in the +75kg at the 2008 Games in Beijing, China.

NWF President assures Nigerians of podium finish for Nigerian lifters

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