On Thursday at the ANOCA ZONE III Games in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Team Nigeria delivered an impressive display of athletic prowess, securing a significant haul of gold medals in both weightlifting and nigeria-leads-africa-para-badminton-medals/” title=”… Dominates Africa Para Badminton Championships with Top Medal Haul!”>badminton.
Closing their participation in the regional tournament, Nigeria amassed an outstanding tally of 12 golds, complemented by 1 silver and 1 bronze medal.
The weightlifting squad was particularly dominant, with three Nigerian lifters showcasing exceptional skill. Emmanuel Inakedor, reigning African Champion in the 71kg division, dominated his category by sweeping gold medals in the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total.
Similarly, Ibrahim Rabiu, who doubles as the team’s coach in the 79kg class, captured all three gold medals available in his events, mirroring Inakedor’s clean sweep.
Rounding out the weightlifting victories, Adeyemi Vincent, also an African Champion competing in the 110kg category, secured gold in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total, completing a flawless performance for Nigeria in the sport.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s badminton contingent continued to shine, adding 3 golds, 1 silver, and 1 bronze to their earlier success from Tuesday, where they had already claimed 2 gold medals in the men’s and women’s doubles competitions.
In the men’s singles, Shehu Aliyu convincingly defeated Fano Dosh of Benin Republic in straight sets, 2-0, while Joseph Abel earned a bronze medal. The women’s singles final was an all-Nigerian affair, with Dorcas Adedokan overcoming Deborah Ukeh to take the top prize.
The mixed doubles event saw Shehu Aliyu team up with Deborah Ukeh to first dispatch the host nation, Burkina Faso, in the semi-finals, before besting compatriots Joseph Abel and Dorcas Adedokan in the final to secure gold.
By the end of Thursday’s competitions, Team Nigeria had firmly established its supremacy in the region, boasting a medal count of 12 golds, 1 silver, and 1 bronze.
