African Games: Nigeria’s Medal Haul On the rise
Nigeria has won two gold medals in the Badminton Team Mixed Event and the Women Basketball 3×3 at the ongoing 12th Africa Games in Morocco.
Team Nigeria thrashed Algeria 3-0 in the Badminton mixed event at Salle Ain Chock, Casablanca to win gold medal on Sunday.
African number one Dorcas Adesokan set the tone for Nigeria, beating Halla Bouksani 21-13, 21-14 to clinch the gold medal.
The Nigerian team were much better than their Algerian opponents with Abah Joseph teaming up well with Orji Peace to beat Mammeri Julien and Mazri Linda 2– 1 in the first match.
In the second match, the duo of Opeyori Juwon and Adesokan Ajoke beat Medel Sabri and Bouksani Halla 2-0, while Kpobakpo Ebiowo and Ekeh Deborah also beat Belarbi Abderrahim and Ouchefoune Malak 2-0 in the third match.
Team Nigeria’s female Basketball team also defeated Mali 21-20 in a riveting encounter to win the gold medal at the Ibn Sina Sports Complex in Rabat.
Mali led 20-18 had needed a point to win, but Ifunanya Okoro got 3 successive points to hand Nigeria the win at Rabat2019.
After suffering a heartbreaking 19-18 loss to Egypt in the men’s basketball 3×3, Mustapha Oyebanji got the all-important point in overtime to help Nigeria to a 20-19 victory in their third-place match against Mali.
In Weightlifting, Stella Peter won a Silver medal in the women’s 45kg. Peter lifted a total weight of 138kg to secure the Silver medal at the Nadha Indoor Sports centre, Rabat.
Augustina Nwaokolo missed out on a Silver medal by 1kg in women’s 49kg. Nwaokolo lifted 161kg to settle for Bronze, with Egypt’s Heba Ahmed getting silver with a lift of 162kg.