One of the Nigeria’s flagbearers at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics, Rafiatu Lawal, will begin her hunt for Olympics’ medals in the women’s 59kg weightlifting class today at the South Paris Arena inside Paris Expo Complex.
The 27-year-old All African Games and Commonwealth Games medalist is one of Nigeria’s medal prospects in Paris and will be looking to boost the chances of adding to the country’s tally in her maiden appearance at the multi-sport event.
Rafiatu Lawal is certainly among the favourites for medals but that won’t come easy, contending with a strong field of 10 weightlifters from around the globe in the Women’s 59kg.
She will be up against reigning Olympic champion in the weight class, Chinese Taipel’s Chun Hsing Kuo. Kuo also won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Shifang Luo of China who is the current world record holder in the weight class with a lift of 248kg is another strong competitor against the Nigerian. She’s making her Olympics debut and has come with so much promise while another Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medallist in the women’s 64kg, Charron Maude of Canada is another lifter to be on the lookout for.
Others competitors against Lawal are Ann Elreen Ando (Philippines), Anyelin Venegas (Venezuela), Lucrezia Magistris (Italy), Yenny Alvarez (Colombia), Mathlynn Sasser (Marshall Islands), Kamila Konotop (Ukraine), Dora Tchakoute (France), and Mexican’s Valdivia Gomez.
Lawal however told Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) media that she hopes to make the most of her Olympics debut as she’s ready to make a lasting impression in Paris in all her lifts.
“I have prepared very well for this and eager to give my best in Paris, France. The Nigeria Weightlifting Federation under the able leadership of Dr. Ibrahim Abdul started a good job, camping us before the Ministry of Sports took over and it is my personal wish to do my best in the competition,” Lawal told NWF Media.
“It is my Olympic Games debut but I am not greenhorn because I have taken part in many competitions that have equipped me for moments like this. I am going to the competition with the high hopes of giving my all to defend my fatherland.”
The President Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, charged Lawal to imbibe Nigeria’s spirit, saying the NWF is solidly behind her and beckoned on her to mark her Olympics debut with the performance that would be the talking point for years to come.
“We in the NWF know what Rafiatu can do and we are solidly behind her as she compete in the Women’s 59kg on Thursday. We have prepared her and her second for the Olympic Games in the best way possible and we expect her to give a good account of herself in Paris, France,” the NWF President said.
