8th October, 2010
Team Nigeria are on the verge of winning more gold medals in today’s events at the ongoing Commonwealth Games.
The tournament reaches the halfway stage today with the busiest day of gold medal action in prospect, as a total of 42 Games titles are at stake. There is prospect of Nigeria winning gold medal in the weightlifting event which will be held today, as the country’s lifters are highly favoured to pick more medals in the sport. More medals are also expected in some other events like wrestling.
Yesterday, Nigerian teenager Obioma Okoli won the Commonwealth Games women’s 63kg weightlifting gold and shattered defending champion Michaela Breeze’s hopes of retiring on a high.
Okoli’s youth and strength proved too big a barrier for Welsh college teacher Breeze, 13 years older than her rival and who was desperate to end her 18-year career with a successful defence of the title she won in Melbourne in 2006.
Breeze was ahead after the snatch having lifted 92kg to Okoli’s 90 and then extended her advantage when she was successful with 110kg in the clean and jerk.
She then failed on 113 to leave her on an overall total of 202kg before Okoli nipped ahead with 115kg (205 total) and finished with a flourish to equal the Commonwealth record of 121kg for a winning total of 211kg.