Edo State made an emphatic statement on Day One of the weightlifting event at the ongoing 2nd Niger Delta Games in Benin City, securing all six available gold medals in the women’s category.
The hosts’ clean sweep was led by the impressive duo of Esther Adebola and Beauty Akpore, who claimed three golds each in their respective weight classes.
A flawless start for Team Edo
Adebola stole the spotlight in the women’s 48kg division, lifting 70kg in the snatch and 85kg in the clean & jerk to finish with a total of 155kg. Her performance capped off an incredible day for the hosts, setting the tone for further dominance.
Akpore mirrored her teammate’s feat in the 53kg category, claiming three gold medals with a powerful showing in both the snatch and clean & jerk.
The strength of Edo’s performance left other states trailing. Rivers and Abia currently sit in second place, each bagging three silver medals through Christianah Ollorma (Rivers) and Marvelous Chidirim (Abia), respectively. Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom’s Mbuotidem Etim claimed three bronze medals in the women’s categories.
In total, Edo’s clean sweep marks a perfect start to their campaign.
Akwa Ibom takes the men’s spotlight
In the men’s 60kg division, Akwa Ibom established an early lead. Felix Iniobong lifted 111kg in the clean & jerk and 194kg overall, securing two golds in the process. He also added silver in the snatch with an 83kg lift.
Vitalis Eze of Abia made his presence felt by lifting 85kg to win gold in the snatch. Eze also took silver in the clean & jerk and bronze in the total lift.
Delta, despite showing strong performances, only managed to claim one silver and one bronze medal in the men’s division.
Looking ahead
The competition is set to continue on Tuesday with the men’s 65kg and 71kg categories, as well as the women’s 58kg and 63kg divisions. The weightlifting event will conclude on Wednesday with final contests in the men’s 79kg and 88kg categories and the women’s 69kg division.
Throughout the three-day competition, technical guidance is being provided by Dr. Steve Olarinoye and Barrister Amos Dushu of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, ensuring the smooth conduct of the event.
With a strong start, Team Edo is now focused on maintaining their dominance, while other states aim to close the gap as the competition progresses.
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