Team Nigeria’s hunt for a GOLD medal at the African Games in Ghana finally came to an end on Day 3 as the green and white nation racked up 7 GOLD medals, along with 4 Silver, and 9 Bronze.
The GOLD medal campaign started in the Men’s Singles Badminton final, which was an All-Nigerian match as Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori defeated his compatriot, Godwin Olofua 2-1 in a heated showdown.
Olofua took the first set (22-20), which was decided by a tie breaker, then Opeyori settled the scores by winning the second set (21-17). The third set saw the two-time African Games Champion take the win in 21-15. Victor Ikechukwu took the Bronze making it a 1-2-3 for Team Nigeria.
Opeyori and Olofua teamed up in the Men’s Double to settle for Silver after losing to Algeria 0-2 (5-21, 15-21).
In the women’s side, Dorcas Adesokan won the Bronze in the Singles and later paired with Sofia Obanishola in the Doubles to claim another Bronze medal.
It was total dominance from the Nigerian Wrestling Women’s Division, led by Daniel Igali as they claimed the remaining all six GOLD medals at stake for the evening. As a matter of fact, all six women registered by the Nigeria Wrestling Federation won a GOLD medal each!
Mercy Genesis opened the mat with her victory against Egypt’s Nada Medani (7-0) in the 50kg freestyle; Christianah Ogunsaya followed closely with a win over Ivory Coast’s Bakayoko Nogonna (11-0) in the 53kg freestyle; Odunayo Adekuoroye extended her dominance by claiming her third African Games title after emerging victorious over Morocco’s Hassoune Zineb by 6-0 in the 57kg freestyle; Esther Kolawole took the 62kg freestyle in 11-0 by defeating Egypt’s Gharam Mahmoud.
Olympic Silver Medallist, Blessing Oborududu won the women’s 68kg freestyle, beating Cameroon’s Blandine Nyeh 14-4. Hannah Reuben closed the competition with a win over Youin Amy of Ivory Coast.
In Swimming, Collins Ebingha narrowly missed a medal for Team Nigeria in the men’s 50m freestyle after placing fourth in 24.44s, 0.02 behind Jarden Eaton of South Africa who claimed Bronze in 24.42s. Egypt’s Ali Khalafalla won the event in 23.93s while Jackson Abeku of Ghana got the Silver in 24.23s. Nigeria’s Abduljabar Adama finished 6th in 24.63s.
Peace Samson grabbed Bronze in the women’s rapid individual, which is Team Nigeria’s first medal in Chess.
Five medals were garnered in Weightlifting. Favour Agboro won Silver in the men’s 61kg with a total weight of 253kg; Bronze in the Snatch (113kg), and another Silver in the Clean and Jerk (140kg), while King Kalu claimed two Bronze medals, first in the 55kg with a total weight of 203kg, and the other in the Clean and Jerk (115kg).
Lastly, Matthew Pelumi and Taiwo Mati won Bronze in the men’s Table Tennis Doubles, while Fatimoh Bello and Edem Offiong took yet another Bronze in the women’s Doubles.
Team Nigeria now sits in 4th place on the medals table with a total of 26 medals, which comprises of 7 GOLD, 7 Silver, and 12 Bronze.
