Nigeria’s female weightlifter, Adijat Olarinoye has become the first athlete to win a medal for the country after claiming gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The weightlifter who competed in the 55kg category, lifted a combined total of 203kg to win the gold medal ahead of other competitors at the event.
India’s Devi Bindayareni came a close second after lifting 202kg to win the Silver medal, while English woman Fraer Morrow came third, lifting a total of 198kg to win the Bronze medal. Olarinoye lifted 92kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk to lift a total of 203kg to win the gold medal and earned 2 new Games Records in snatch and overall lifting in the process.
She had earlier won a silver medal in the women’s 55 kg event at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The 23-year-old also represented Nigeria at the 2019 African Games which is also her maiden African Games appearance and won 3 medals including two gold medals in the women’s 55 kg weightlifting event.
She claimed gold medals in women’s 55 kg and 55 kg clean jerk events along with a silver in the 55 kg snatch event where she narrowly missed the gold medal to fellow compatriot Chika Amalaha. Olarinoye created a new African record in weightlifting in the clean and jerk category by lifting 116 kg during the 2019 African Games.
