Folashade Lawal wins gold, sets new record in 59kg weightlifting
By Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor
Folashade Lawal of Team Nigeria has set a new record in the women’s 59kg weightlifting in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Team Nigeria did extremely well in weightlifting with a gold medal by Olarinoye Adenike Adijat in the women’s 55kg weightlifting category and a bronze medal by Edidiong Joseph Umoafia in the men’s 67kg category already in the kitty.
Folashade’s surge towards success not only culminated in winning a gold medal to increase the medal haul of Team Nigeria but also saw the Ibadan-born weightlifter setting a new record in the Commonwealth Games.
In her bid to attain this rare feat, Folashade whose medal has increased Team Nigeria’s medals to three, comprising two gold and bronze medals, lifted a total of 206kg to top the podium.
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The 25-year-old Nigerian trailed by other contenders for the coveted gold medal, dislodged the likes of Jessica Gordon Brown of Team England who lifted a total of 197kg and Canadian Talu Darsigny’s 196kg.
Folashade, however, has dedicated this medal to her family in Ibadan.
“I dedicate the award to my Ibadan family,” she said on receipt of the medal.
In her first attempt, she lifted 110kg and went on to improve in her second attempt, lifting 115kg to set a new record.
However, when it was largely believed that Folashade had exhausted her stock after setting a new record, the star-studded weightlifter lifted 116kg in her third attempt to break and set the new Commonwealth Games
world record.
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