Ibile Game 2012: ‘Judo Has Helped Me In Weightlifting’

A silver medalist in weightlifting at the ongoing Lagos State Sports Festival, tagged Ibile 2012, Adewunmi Akintunde, has revealed that the secret behind her success at the games is the experience she has garnered in Judo.

Adewunmi, whose major sport is Judo, told P.M. Sports that the experience she has gathered in weight training in judo propelled her to feature in weightlifting at the games.

“We always do weight training every Thursday during our training sessions in judo. This really galvanised me to compete in weightlifting at this games,” disclosed Akintunde.

She said: “I would’t have competed in weightlifting at the games in the first instance if I have not had enough experience in the sport. It is the experience that I have already had during my training sessions in judo that gave me the confidence that I could do it.”

Asked which is more thriving in the country between Judo and weightlifting, Akintunde said that the former is better.

“The two sports are thriving in the country but lifters have the privilege to compete in more tourneys than judokas. There are many competitions that are available for lifters in both within and outside the country.

“There is no way an athlete can improve if he or she does not have the privilege to compete with his or her counterparts in other parts of the world. Judokas in Nigeria don’t have the opportunity to attend competitions because they hardly get sponsors,” lamented Akintunde.

—Bimbo Ajayi