Paralympics: Team Nigeria’s Tijani Latifat Wins Gold in Powerlifting
By Lekan Sowande, Abuja.
Team Nigeria’s Tijani Latifat put up a scintillating performance to become the first athlete to pick Nigeria’s medal in the Women’s 45kg Powerlifting event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in Japan.
Latifat’s first lift of 105kg was disallowed. However, the Ogun state born athlete came back strong with burning enthusiasm to write her name in Gold with her second attempt of 105kg, as her third attempt was 107kg.
In her fourth attempt she hit the 117kg mark, getting close to the World Record of 118kg to lift the first medal for team Nigeria in Tokyo. China’s Zhe Cui settleed for Silver.
With this gold medal, this is Nigeria’s 71st medal in Paralympics history.
