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By Chinedu Ohawusi

The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS) has backed Team Nigeria’s female athletes to rekindle their expeptional good form, by working themselves to claim podium places for themselves, and Nigeria in particular, at the ongoing 2022 Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham, England.

Prof. Bola Adeyanju, the President of NAWIS, the umbrella body of for Women past athletes, athletes and non athletes, passed the verdict, in a statement, urging the athletes representing the nation at the Bermingham Games, to remain focused, on winning the laurels that will propel Nigeria to a respectable position, when the final medals table is published.

At the 2020 Olympics held last year in Tokyo, Nigeria’s blushes were saved by the Silver and Bronze medals, won by our women, Blessing Ogborodudu (Wrestling) and Ese Brume (Long Jump). That tide continued last week, at the World Athletics Championships, when Brume won Silver in the Long Jump, after Tobilola Amusan won Nigeria’s first ever Gold medal, while setting a new World Record of 12.12 in her specialty, the 100 metres hurdles” Prof Adeyanju noted.

But even before the Birmingham games, Nigerian women have shown brightly in the past weeks, with former Super Falcons Captain, Asisat Oshoala scooping the gong for the CAF African player of the year for a record 5th time; Nigeria’s Mimissen Itorhen officiating as AR 1 in the final of the Afcon in Morocco, while the Falcons qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, to complete the numbers, after the Falconets and Flamingos had set the tone, by also qualifying for the U-20 and U-17 women’s world cups, respectively.

At Birmingham, Nigeria is competing for Silverware in nine sports; including weightlifting, which brought the Team our first Gold medal, through Adijat Olarinoye; and while congratulating the 23 year old, who lifted 203kg in the 55kg class, NAWIS President reminded the entire 94 sportsmen and women representing the country of the need to continue to be disciplined, conform with set rules, and compete as clean athletes without bringing the name of Nigeria to disrepute.