Team Nigeria yet again shine like the neon light in the dark yesterday as curtain was drawn to the weightlifting events at the ongoing 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham after Taiwo Liadi and Mary Osijo respectively added silver and bronze to Nigeria’s medal haul.
In the early hours on Monday, 19-year-old Liadi who competed in the women’s 76kg weightlifting event set a new junior Commonwealth Games record to finish second behind Canada’s Maya Laylor who set a new Commonwealth Games record in the clean and jerk with a lift of 128kg.
To set a junior record, Liadi lifted 120kg in the clean and jerk to beat 11 other competitors to the silver medal.
In the overall points, the Canadian amassed 228points while Liadi garnered 216points while Nauru’s Maximina Uepa settled for the bronze medal .
Laylor was delighted with her title and grateful for the crowd’s encouragement, adding: “I feel amazing. I’m so happy to win a gold medal for Canada.All the cheers encouraged me and the energy helped to keep me going.”
But late last night, it was team Nigeria’s Osijo that got going as she finished third in the women’s 87kg with 225points behind Australia’s Eileen Cikamatana and Canada’s Kristel Ngarlem who both amassed 255 points and 236points respectively.
The Australian also set the games record with her lift in the clean and jerk after lifting 145kg.
With Laidi’s silver and Osijo’s bronze medals, weightlifting has fetched Nigeria two gold, one silver and three bronze medals with Adijat Olarinoye and Rafiat Lawal claiming the two gold medals and setting new Commonwealth Games records.
The other bronze medals were won by Islamiyat Yusuf and Edidiong Umaofia.