The duo of Lucy Ejike and Ibrahim Olaitan gave Team Nigeria a lot to cheer on Saturday when they both clinched Bronze medals in Powerlifting.

Ejike, who is the captain of Team Nigeria had only one legal lift which was her first, her subsequent lifts were disqualified. Her enthusiasm ensured a first lift of 130kg that edged out most of her opponents. The second and third attempts to lift 135kg failed. If she had pushed and successfully lifted 132kg in one of her failed attempts she would have won a gold medal.

Olaitan’s medal was in the 67kg category.

These bronze medals by Ejike and Olaitan have increased Nigeria’s medal haul at the Paralympic Games to three, a gold and two bronze medals.

The much awaited Paralympics games are set to begin as the opening ceremonies begin today.

Twenty-two athletes will be representing Team Nigeria in the Tokyo 2020 games this year. It would be recall that the last edition, at Rio 2016 in Brazil, was the most successful outing for Team Nigeria, which became Africa best team and 17th overall on the medal table with eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

In Tokyo, Team Nigeria Paralympics will participate in four events: Para Powerlifting, Para-Athletics, Para-Table Tennis and Para Rowing.

The first Paralympics debut for team Nigeria was far back Barcelona 92, with six athletes who came back with three gold medals. Nigeria largest contingent to the games was in Sydney 2000 with 31 Paralympics Athletes when Team Nigeria returned home with 13 medals.

The Team captain Lucy Ejike, 44, who would be featuring in her sixth Paralympics after making her debut at Sydney 2000, has promised that the contingent would surpass the record at Rio 2016.

Ejike won a medal in each of the Games she has been in, winning gold medals in 2004, 2008 and 2016 and silver medals in 2000 and 2012.

The 22 athletes on the team are:

Flora Ugwunwa – Athletics – F
Iyiazi Njideka. – Athletics – F
Lauritta Onye. – Athletics – F
Nwaozu Chituru – Athletics – F
Galadima Suwaibidu – Athletics – M
Tijani Latifat. – Powerlifting – F
Ejike Lucy. – Powerlifting – F
Ibrahim Mujinat – Powerlifting – F
Omolayo Bose. – Powerlifting – F
Obiji Lovelyn. – Powerlifting – F
Oluwafemiayo Folashade -Powerlifting- F
Okpala Pauline – Powerlifting – F
Ibrahim Dauda – Powerlifting – M
Yakubu Adesokan – Powerlifting – M
Innocent Nnamdi – Powerlifting – M
Ijeoma Kingsley – Rowing – M
Fairh Obazuaye – Table Tennis – F
Tajudeen Agunbiade – Table Tennis – M
Olufemi Alabi Olabiyi – Table Tennis – M
Ahmed Koleosho – Table Tennis – M
Ogunkunle Isau – Table Tennis – M
Farinoye Victor – Table Tennis – M

Youth and Sports Development Minster Sunday Dare is sure that Team Nigeria to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo will live up to billings and do the nation proud as games get underway on Tuesday.

Dare said, “Based on condition precedent and the resilience of our special athletes especially when on international assignments, I have no doubt in my mind that these athletes will again make Nigeria proud.

“Their ability to excel and Win medals is in no doubt. They have been consistent. They have trained long and hard.”

The Minister further said that having worked closely with the coaches and technical team of the athletes, he is sure they will give Nigeria their best in the next two weeks while praying and wishing them the best outcomes at their events in Tokyo.

With less than a week to the commencement of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Team Nigeria athletes have assured of an impressive outing in Tokyo.

According to Team Nigeria Paralympics Captain, Lucy Ejike, “We have been training seriously to make sure we meet up with the standard we set at previous games. Everything is going on well. We are confident we will bring glory to Nigeria. We have world records , so we hope to maintain the records and create new ones”

Speaking in similar vein, Para Powerlifter, Nnamdi Innocent expressed appreciation to the Sports Minister for motivating the team. “We are grateful to the Minister for his support and encouragement, what he did for us during the lockdown will motivate us to excel in Tokyo. We have many world records and our target is to go there and make Nigeria proud”

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics games will be Nigeria’s 8th consecutive appearance since her maiden appearance at Barcelona 1992. Nigeria had her most successful outing at Rio 2016, finishing as Africa’s best team and 17th overall in the world on the medals table with 8 golds, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals.

Nigeria will participate in 4 events at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics viz; Powerlifting, Para-Athletics, Para-Table Tennis and Para Rowing.
The team is expected to depart for Japan this week.