Nigerian weightlifters have arrived in Egypt to participate in the 2024 Africa Senior Weightlifting Championship. The delegation, consisting of four lifters and four officials, reached Cairo on Saturday. Ismaila will be hosting the championship, commencing with the opening ceremony on Sunday.
Scheduled to run until February 11, the championship holds significance as the qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games. Among the four lifters, three are women—Rafiatu Folashade Lawal and Adijat Adenike Olarinoye in the 59kg women’s category, and Joy Ogbonne Eze in the 71kg women’s category. The sole male lifter, Umoafia Edidiong Joseph, will compete in the 73kg men’s category.
The contingent includes four officials: three coaches—Janet Ali, Abdulsalam Kayode, and Onubaye Sefiat—and a referee, Iquaibom Lawrence.
Nigeria is set to kick off its participation in the championship on Tuesday, February 6, with Rafiatu Lawal and Adijat Olarinoye competing in the 59kg women’s category. Umoafia Edidiong will take part in the 73kg men’s category later that day, and Joy Eze will conclude Nigeria’s participation on Wednesday, February 7, competing in the 71kg women’s category.
In the previous edition of the championship held in Tunisia in May last year, Nigeria secured an impressive 12 medals, including three gold, seven silver, and two bronze. Following the Egypt event, Nigerian weightlifters will have another chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Games in the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup, scheduled from March 31 to April 11, 2024, in Phuket, Thailand. The final list of qualified athletes for the Paris Games will be determined through the IWF World Rankings after the last qualifier.