…as para-athletics, boxing also on the podium
Charles Ogundiya
Nigeria wrestlers increased their medal haul and the country’s total medals with more victories on Saturday as they took over from the weightlifters as the sports with most gold medals for the country at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
With two gold medals on the opening day of the wrestling event from Odunayo Adekuoroye and Blessing Oborududu, Mercy Genesis added another gold medal on Saturday after defeating Madison Parks of Canada in the women’s Freestyle 50kg final.
To get to the final, Genesis beat Scotland’s Christelle Letchidjio in the semifinal earlier in the day.
In another wrestling final, India’s Kumar Ravi, was too much for Nigeria’s Ebikewenimo Welson as he had to settle for the silver medal after losing 10-0 same as Hannah Rueben who also failed in her Women’s Freestyle 76 kg gold medal medal fight against Canada’s Justina Stasio as she settled for the silver.
Ogbonna John also settled for the bronze in the men’s 74kg Freestyle event after beating Charlie Bowling of England 10-0.
There was also medals in the para-athletics as Njideka Iyiazi and Ugochi Alam winning the gold and bronze in the Women’s F56/57 Shoput.
Iyiazi won gold with a thrown of 10.03m while the bronze went to Alam after throwing a distance of 9.38m in the same event.
Iyiazi also in the process set a new Commonwealth Games Record with her 10.03m throw.
Boxing also made podium finish with Cynthia Ogunsemilore winning a bronze medal for Nigeria in the Women’s Over 57kg-60kg Lightweight Boxing category after a 5-0 semifinal loss to Any Sara Broadhurst of Northern Ireland.
