Tokyo Paralympics: Omolayo wins Nigeria’s second gold medal

Nigeria’s Bose Omolayo won Team Nigeria’s second gold medal yesterday at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Paralympics after she lifted 141kg in the women’s 79kg powerlifting competition. Her victory came hours after Latifat Tijani won Team Nigeria’s first gold medal in the same event in the 45kg category. Omolayo who had broken a world record at […]

Nigeria’s Bose Omolayo won Team Nigeria’s second gold medal yesterday at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Paralympics after she lifted 141kg in the women’s 79kg powerlifting competition.

Her victory came hours after Latifat Tijani won Team Nigeria’s first gold medal in the same event in the 45kg category.

Omolayo who had broken a world record at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, Brazil where she lifted 138k to win gold also set another world record with her lift of 141kg in Tokyo.

She lifted 135kg in her first attempt, 138kg in the second before her unassailable 141kg in the third lift to win gold.

Her opening lift of 135k was even good enough for a gold medal.

Natalila Oliinyk of Ukraine and Vera Vera of Russian Paralympics Committee (RPC) placed second and third respectively.

With her achievement yesterday, Nigeria now boasts of two gold medals and two bronze in the same event.

While Latifat Tijani and Bose Omolayo are on the list of Nigerians who have won gold medals in Tokyo, Olaitan Ibrahim and Lucy Ejike are bronze medallists for Team Nigeria.

As at the time of press yesterday evening, Team Nigeria was placed 27th on the medals table.

China is leading the table with 46 gold, 29 silver and 29 bronze, Great Britain are second with 23 gold, 19 silver and 18 bronze, United States of America are in third place with 15 gold, 16 silver and 9 bronze medals while Russian Paralympics Committee (RPC) are fourth with 15 gold, 9 silver and 28 bronze medals.