2023 African Games Gold medallist, King Kalu of Cross River State and Esther Amarachi Chijoke of Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) were easily the outstanding lifters of Day One of the Weightlifting event of the ongoing Ogun 2024 National Sports Festival after both bagged five gold medals combined for their states.
In the Men’s 55kg, Kalu secured three gold medals for Cross River with a total lift of 215kg comprising of 94kg lift in snatch and 121kg lift in Clean & Jerk.
Elechi Nnadozie Elvis of Bayelsa State won a silver medal in the snatch with a lift of 93kg while Abayomi Adeleye of Ekiti State got the bronze medal in the snatch with 92kg.
Tobi Ishola of Oyo claimed a silver in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 118kg and he got a further bronze medal in the total with 206kg.
Representing Bayelsa State, John Solomon won a bronze medal in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 117kg and a silver medal in the total with a lift of 207kg.
In the women’s 45kg, Esther Amarachi Chijoke of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) captured two goals medals in the Clean & Jerk and total with a lift of 82kg and 146kg respectively and she added a silver medal in the snatch with a lift of 64kg.
Ronke Olarinoye (Lagos) was the overall second in the women’s 45kg with a gold in the snatch with a lift of 65kg and a bronze medal in the total with 140kg.
Christiana Alloma of Rivers State won two silver and a bronze medal. She got a bronze medal in the snatch with a lift of 61kg while she added two silver medals in the Clean & Jerk (81kg) and total 142kg.
