Paralympics: Nigeria’s Adesokan wins first gold, breaks World record

The medal that eluded Team Nigeria during the London 2012 Olympics came tumbling in Thursday as Nigeria’s Paralympians begun their quest for medals and also to redeem the image of the country as a super power in sports. Team Nigeria’s outing at the main Olympics was colourless.

Yakubu Adesokan struck the goldmine yesterday in a refreshing manner in Powerlifting where he also sent the World record crashing with his amazing 178 kg lift in his men’s 48 category which was over three times his body weight.

Adesokan’s feat was celebrated by the country’s flagbearers in London Thursday as they hoped to win more medals. And back home, it was a double joy for the country that watched gleefully on television as the Falconets dumped Mexico 1-0 in a nail-biting quarter-final thriller to berth into the semi-final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup semi final.

Sports Minister and Chairman of National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi heaved a sigh of relief yesterday when the cherry news came and urged the Nigerian heros and heroines not to relent in their efforts to win more medals.

”The Minister is happy with the feat of Yakubu Adesokan in winning the first gold for Nigeria at the Paralympics and also over-joyed at his feat of breaking the World record. ”It is one thing to win gold and another super feat to break the World record”, the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Julius Ogunro quoted the Minister.

Adesokan was a full 10kg ahead of silver medallist Vladimir Balynedc of Russia, while Taha Abdelmagid of Egypt claimed bronze with his 165kg effort.