Commonwealth Games: Nigeria Wins First Gold In Weightlifting

Commonwealth Games: Nigeria Wins First Gold In Weightlifting

Babajide Orevba
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:41 PM

A sixteen year old girl, Chika Amalaha, has won Nigeria’s first gold medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Amalaha secured the feat for Nigeria after winning the 53kg category of the women’s weightlifting event on day two of the multi sports championship.

It was gathered that the 16-year-old first lifted 85kg in the Snatch to set a new Games record, minutes after Indian duo Santoshi Matsa and Swati Singh had set a new mark by lifting 83kg.

*  Amalaha

Amalaha went on to lift 111kg in the clean and jerk to win gold with a new Games record total of 196kg, while Dika Toua also lifted 111kg in the clean and jerk to claim silver with a 193kg total.

India’s Santoshi Matsa settled for bronze, lifting 105kg in the clean and jerk to finish with a total of 188kg while compatriot Swati Singh could only manage to lift 100kg in the clean and jerk to finish fourth.

 * Team Nigeria on Arrival in Scotland

Amalaha’s win gives Team Nigeria a second medal at the Games, following Nkechi Opara’s bronze medal on Day One in the 48kg category of the women’s weightlifting event.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary intergovernmental association of 53 member states, almost all of which were formerly ruled by Britain, directly or indirectly.

The group encompasses nations from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Pacific.

All the countries involved agree to share a common set of values and ideals, and acknowledge a shared history and traditional trade links.

Nigeria has competed in 11 Commonwealth Games since 1950, but did not attend the 1962, 1978, 1986 and 1998 Games.

Nigeria has won at least one medal at every Games attended including a high of 37 in 1994.

The first medal in 1950 was won by Joshua Majekodunmi in the High Jump.

In 2010 at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, Nigeria amassed a total of 33 medals including 11 gold, 8 silver and 14 bronze medals, finishing in 9th position.

However, about 85 per cent of the medals were won by the Para-athletes.

A total number of 127 athletes (65 male and 62 female) will represent Nigeria in this year’s edition of the Commonwealth Games.

Team Nigeria will feature in eight sports – Athletics, Boxing, Shooting, Wrestling, Weightlifting, Table Tennis, Para Athletics and Para Power lifting.

Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
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