COMMONWEALTH GAMES: NIGERIA’S VICTORY AT BIRMINGHAM
The 11-day Commonwealth games in Birmingham ended on Monday, August 8th with World and Commonwealth gold medalist Tobi Amusan being the flag-bearer for Team Nigeria at the closing ceremony.
Team Nigeria achieved their best performance since it started taking part in the Commonwealth games in 1950. The team won 12 gold, nine silver, and 14 bronze medals, a total of 35 medals making them take the seventh position on the medals table and also breaking the previous record of 11 gold, 11 silver, and 14 bronze medals at the 2014 games in Glasgow Scotland.
Records were set by some of the athletes in Birmingham as the country’s national anthem repeatedly rang out with the country’s flag swaying with pride above other flags.
Chiemere Nwachukwu and Folashade Oluwafemiayo both set new world records in para-athletics and powerlifting on the same day all within 30 minutes.
While Nwachukwu broke the world record twice in the women’s discus throw event of para-athletics, with a throw of 34.84m, and a throw of 36.56m to win the gold medal, Oluwafemiayo lifted a 155kg world record in powerlifting.
For the first time, the country’s gold medal in the women’s 4×100 relay was won by Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Grace Nwokocha and Rosemary Chukwuma.
This was moments after the Nigerian men’s 4x100m team claimed bronze to win the country’s first medal in 40 years.
TOBI AMUSAN FIRST NIGERIAN ATHLETE TO WIN THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD
With her gold medal in Birmingham, Tobi Amusan became the only Nigerian athlete in history to complete a grand slam of titles at the continental, Commonwealth and world levels after winning the gold medal in June at the African Athletics Championships in Mauritius and the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA, last month.
The World champion also set a new Commonwealth Games record in the 100m hurdles with her 12.30s finish in Sunday night’s final, breaking the old record of 12.65s.
To cap a glorious final athletics night for Team Nigeria at the Alexander Stadium, Brume Ese broke the Games record in the women’s long jump, becoming the first athlete ever in the event to reach the 7.00m mark. She also became the first athlete to successfully defend the women’s long jump title since the 1960s.
Odunayo Adekuoroye and Blessing Oborududu also set records in Birmingham.
While Adekuoroye made history by winning a third straight gold medal in the women’s wrestling 57kg class, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Oborududu a gold medal for the second time and four medals overall in four Commonwealth Games editions.
In para-athletics, Eucharia Iyiazi did not only win the women’s F55-57 shot put gold medal, but she also produced a new Commonwealth Games record of 10.03m.
Following this incredible feat by the team, Mr. Wale Tinubu, the Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, announced that his company would give cash rewards to all Team Nigeria medalists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES: NIGERIA’S VICTORY AT BIRMINGHAM
This is so info packed.
Thank you.