With Rio 2016 Olympic Games concluded, Team Nigeria’s contingent will on Thursday depart the country for the Paralympic Games commencing next Wednesday.
Twenty-three athletes have been listed by the Nigeria Paralympic Committee, with six coaches accompanying the team to Brazil for the competition that will run from September 7-18, 2016 in Rio De Janeiro.
Unlike at the Olympics where Nigeria presented athletes in eight different sports, the country will be taking part in just three sports at the Paralympics: Athletics, Power-lifting and Table-Tennis, as the sports governing body believes that they stand a better chance of winning medals in these events.
At the last Paralympics in London, Nigeria won a total of 13 medals: six gold, five silver and two bronze. Nigeria has a history of performing very well at the Paralympics, especially in Power-lifting events.
The 23 athletes representing Nigeria this time around in Rio are listed as follows in their following events:
-Power-lifting:
Yakubu Adesokan, Roland Ezuruike, Nsini Ben, Lucy Ejike, Ndidi Nwosu, Bose Omolayo, Josephine Orji, Esther Onyema, Latifat Tijani, Abdulazeez Ibrahim, Nnamdi Innocent, Opeyemi Jegede, Paul Kehinde, Tolu-lope Taiwo.
– Table-Tennis:
Faith Obiorah, Ahmed Koleosho and Emmanuel Nick.
–Athletics:
Hannah Babalola, Eucharia Iyiazi, Lauritta Onye, Lovina Onyegbule, Flora Ugwunwa and Friday Aibangbe.
