Nigeria’s Lucy Ejike and Olaitan Ibrahim on Saturday won bronze medals in powerlifting events at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
In the finals of the events held at the Tokyo International Forum, Ejike who was battling for her fourth Paralympic gold in the women’s 61kg had to settle for bronze.
Ejike, a three-time Paralympic and two-time world champion, was tipped as one of the favorites for the gold medal.
There were high expectations of a thrilling showdown between Nigeria and Mexico’s Amalia Perez who topped the podium at Rio 2016, London 2012 and Beijing 2008.
Among other prominent names in the fray were Uzbekistan’s silver medallist at Nur-Sultan 2019, Ruza Kuzieva, and Ukraine’s Rayisa Toporkova, a two-time world championships bronze medallist.
However, Ejike fell short of expectations as Perez won the gold, while Kuzieva took the silver in the women’s powerlifting 61 kg event’s final.
In the women’s 67kg category, Nigeria’s Olaitan Ibrahim also settled for bronze after a best lift of 119 at her second attempt.
She cleared her first at 116 but failed to clear 127 at her third attempt.
China’s Yujiao Tan won the gold with a best lift of 133, while Fatma Omar of Egypt took silver with a best lift of 120.
In the women’s discus throw F57 finals, Grace Nwaozuzu and Eucharia Iyiazi could not make it to the podium after finishing in the sixth and eighth positions respectively.
Also, Innocent Nnamdi posted a no-lift in the men’s 72kg powerlifting event’s final.
Meanwhile, in rowing, Kingsley Ijomah qualified for the final eight of the PR1 men’s singles sculls after putting up an impressive performance in the Repechage 1 (PR1M1xRepechage1).
NAN reports that the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, which began on Tuesday, will end on Sept. 5.
