Commonwealth Games: Islamiyat Adebukola wins Nigeria’s 4th medal in weightlifting

By Amaechi Agbo

Former junior champion, Islamiyat Adebukola Yusuf on Monday won Nigeria’s 4th medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham clinching a Bronze medal in the women’s weightlifting 64kg event.

Despite Yusuf’s magical performance in the category, her 113kg, 116kg, and 119kg with a total of 212kg lift could only earn her Bronze in both the Snatch, Clean & Jerk.

It was the first time Islamyat is participating in the Commonwealth Games and expectations care high that more medals would come from her in future competitions.

She’s the third female and fourth Team Nigeria weightlifter to win a medal in the event after Edidiong Joseph Umoafia won bronze in the Men’s 67kg and the first gold medalist for Team Nigeria at the 2022 Games Adijat Adenike Olarinoye in the Women’s 55kg.

The 19-year-old finish third behind Maude Charron (Canada) and Cochrane Sarah (Australia) who finished in first and second positions respectively.

While Charron who set a new Games Record had a combined lift of 231KG,  the 216KG combined lift earned by Cochrane was good enough for the Silver medal  

Monday’s bronze medal is the fourth medal for Nigeria in the weightlifting event where the country had earlier won two gold and another bronze medal.

All Nigeria’s medals so far have come from weightlifting.

Earlier on Monday Team Nigeria Judoka Edwin Peter competed in the Men’s -66kg elimination Round of 16 Judo event.

Peter did not advance to the quarterfinals, losing by Ippon (when an opponent’s back is thrown to the mat with considerable force and speed) to Northern Ireland’s Nathon Burns.