By Our Correspondent

A delegation of five Nigerian Weightlifters and two coaches will return to the country on Thursday morning (today) after they amassed a total 12 medals at the 2023 Senior Africa Weightlifting Championship in Tunisia which also serves as 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers.

The delegate which is led by the President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF Dr Ibrahim Abdul will return to the country via Lagos in the early hours of Thursday.

A statement signed by the Media Officer, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Mr Amaechi Agbo indicates that the contingent will arrive the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja, Lagos by 6:50am via Qatar Airways.

Nigeria won a total of 12 medals comprising 3 gold, 7 silver and 2 bronze medals at the championship.

Lawal Rofiat and Olarinoye Adenike Adijat won three gold and three silver medals respectively in the 59kg women category on Tuesday.

Eze Joy Ogbonne and Edidiong Umoafia won 6 additional medals on Wednesday. Whereas Joy clinched 3 silver medals in 71kg women category, Edidiong won a silver and 2 bronze medals in 73kg men.

Edidiong could have won higher medals but he had an injury during the Snatch and won a silver medal. He managed to continue and got bronze for Clean &Jerk and Total.

Nigeria’s quest to increase their medal haul on Wednesday did not go as planned after Akano Desmond came 4th in the 89kg men category.

Desmond who rounded off Nigeria’s participation at the championship had a lift of 145kilos in snatch, 190kilos in Clean & Jerk and a Total lift of 255kilos to emerge 4th in the category.

Nigeria weightlifters will participate in six
Championship qualifiers as they seek to return Nigeria to global weightlifting map in the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris, France.

The 2023 Africa Weightlifting Championship which commenced on May 10 will end on Friday May 19th in Tuns, Tunisia capital.