Precious Orji, a Para-powerlifter and Nigeria’s representative at the ongoing IPC Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai, today, set a new world record in the female +86kg weight category.
The Head Coach of Nigeria Para-powerlifting Federation, Are Feyinsetan, who made this known in a telephone conversation from Dubai, said that Orji lifted 151kg to clinch gold in the +86kg category at the championships.
The new record has now erased the previous world record of 140kg, set by Grace Anozie also of Nigeria at the 2013 Asian Open Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Orji gave a good account of herself with a brilliant performance in her category. She broke the world record in her first attempt by lifting 145kg.
“She finally won the gold medal by breaking the world record twice with her last lift of 151kg to set a new world record,’’ he said.
Yakubu Adesokan of Nigeria had earlier won the first gold for Nigeria after breaking his own world record of 178kg in the 46kg weight category.
Adesokan had set the record at the 2012 London Olympic Games, by lifting 181kg in the same weight category in the ongoing Dubai Championships.
Meanwhile, Esther Onyema won the second gold after she had also set a new world record in the 55kg category.
The new record erased her previous record of 122kg she had set in the 2013 Asian Open Championships in Malaysia with a lift of 125kg.
The third gold medal was won by Ijeoma Ihurobiem in the female 73kg weight category, while Anthony Ulonnam won the bronze in the male 54kg.
Abdulazeez Ibrahim also clinched the fourth gold in male 97kg category with a lift of 235kg, while Loveline Obiji won silver with a lift of 142.5kg in the female 86kg weight category.
Nigeria is being represented at the championships by eight male and five female athletes.
The competition which commenced on April 5 will be concluded later today.
