Nigeria will begin its hunt for medals in weightlifting at the ongoing African Youth Games today, as the Dream Space Hall in Luanda, Angola, hosts the start of the event.
Four Nigerian female lifters have been listed to compete, with three — Favour Cornelius (44kg), Esther Chidalu Ezenwa (48kg) and Chinaza Cecilia Ezenwa (53kg) — scheduled for action this morning. The fourth Nigerian, Florence Olarinoye (58kg), will compete tomorrow.
Fourteen-year-old Cornelius will be Nigeria’s first representative on the platform in the women’s 44kg category, where she will contend with Angola’s Mizeala Daca and Ghanaian Naa Aku Ansaba Tackay. The weigh-in is slated for 8:00am local time, with the competition beginning two hours later.
In the 48kg class, Esther Chidalu Ezenwa will face stiff opposition from Mahay Tia Rakotonoely Tendry Tsiky of Madagascar and Kenya’s Amanda Elina. Her event is fixed for 10:00am on Thursday, following a weigh-in at 8:00am.
Still almost at the same time, Chinaza Cecilia Ezenwa will aim to add to Nigeria’s medal tally in the 53kg category. She will be up against Halima Maziane Hadjar of Algeria and Ethiopia’s Etori Bakie Wulli.
Nigeria is among 15 countries participating in the weightlifting event of the African Youth Games holding in Angola alongside Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa, Seychelles and Tunisia. A total of 38 lifters — 20 men and 18 women — are competing in Luanda.
President of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Dr Ibrahim Abdul Aladi, has charged the young lifters to aim for gold and seize the opportunity to make a mark on the continental stage.
He also commended the National Sports Commission for exposing the athletes to international competition and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them with outstanding performances.
