Latifat Tijani wins Nigeria’s first gold medal at the Tokyo paralympics
Nigeria’s powerlifter Latifat Tijani has won the country’s first gold medal at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics.
The 39-year-old Ogun State indigene had the best lift of 107kg to rank first in women’s 45kg powerlifting.
The 107kg win is just one kg short of the Paralympic record set by Hu Dandan of China at the Rio Games.
She tried unsuccessfully to lift 117kg which would have taken her closer to the world record of 118kg set by Guo Lingling.
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It was set at the world championships on July 13, 2019 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The News Agency of Nigeria reported.
The result was an improvement for Tijani, whose impairment is as a result of the effects of polio, after she finished second at the Rio Games with a lift of 106kg.
Following Tijani in the competition was China’s Cui Zhe who lifted 102kg for the silver medal.
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Poland’s Justyna Kozdryk won the bronze medal with a lift of 101kg.