by Nigeria has clinched its first Gold medal in the ongoing Paralympics games in Tokyo, Japan, Naija News reports.
Female powerlifter, Latifat Tijani, won Nigeria’s first gold medal on Thursday in women’s 45kg powerlifting.
The Nigerian, who defeated China’s Zhe Cui to lift 107kg and claim a spot on the podium, will also be contesting in the women’s 45kg straight gold medal later in the day.
Recall that Tijani won a gold medal for Nigeria at the Brazzaville 2015 Africa Games and also won a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
Meanwhile, another Nigerian powerlifter, Yakubu Adesokan missed out on a podium placement in men’s 49kg Powerlifting.
Adesokan, who finished fourth with an attempt of 161kg, came behind Azerbaijan’s Parvin Mammadov who lifted 156kg.
Recall that no fewer than 800 VIPs on Tuesday, August 24, witnessed the grand opening of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics games.
The long-awaited competition was declared open by Japan’s emperor, Naruhito, Naija News reports.
The commencement of the Paralympics games is coming barely three weeks after the completion of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics games.
Not moved by the few attendances in the stadium, roughly 3,400 Paralympians and team officials pay solidarity to Afghanistan athletes who missed out as one of 21 nations supposed to compete at the Games.
With their multicoloured face masks, the people were captured waving and dancing after the disappointment of the postponement and worries about a potential cancellation.
The stadium is viewed in banks of vacant multicoloured seats of 68,000-capacity and not less than 162 teams will participate in the Paralympics games.
