Federation Watch

Team Nigeria Athletes Shine at Para-Athletics Grand Prix

Team Nigeria Para-athletics contingent came back from Tunisia, recently, with their heads high, after winning 13 gold, two silver and a bronze medal to place third behind Tunisia and Algeria at the 9th International Paralympics , Para-athletics Grand Prix in Tunisia, despite going with only eight male athletes.

The Nigerian contingent had to be pruned, due to lack of funds, and the team arrived the competition venue late. Despite these hurdles, the athletes did not disappoint, as they beat 17 other countries to place third.

20 countries from Europe, Asia America and Africa took part in the tournament put together by the World Paralympic body to pick medallists for next year’s Paralympic Games in Brazil.

The host country, Tunisia, came second with 28 gold, 21 silver and 20 bronze medals, while Algeria, another

North African country, won the tourney with 28 gold, 28 silver and 18 bronze medals.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Para-lifting contingent were not lucky as they could not attend the World Paralympic Qualifiers in Dubai same time.

Nigeria powerlifters who rank among the best in the world, but could not make it to Dubai due to lack of funds.

With this scenario, it is clear that Nigeria Para-lifters will miss out of the 2016 Paralympics Games in Rio, Brazil for failing to attend the qualifiers in Dubai last month.

Team Nigeria Paralympic athletes saved Nigeria the blush in London 2012 Olympics where the able-bodied athletes failed to win a single medal at the Olympic Games.

Powerlifters won four gold medals for Nigeria in the last Commonwealth Games in Scotland in 2014.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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