No fewer than eight

Nigerian power lifters qualified for the finals of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Mr Samuel Ekeoma, the Technical Director, Para-Power Lifting Federation of Nigeria (PFN) said.

Ekeoma disclosed this in an Interview with the Tidesports in Umuahia that the country won seven medals during the qualifying series in Khorfakkan, United Arab Emirates in October.

The total medal haul included three gold, three silver and one bronze.

The Tidesports reports that Nigeria’s Lovelyn Obiji broke the Junior World Record with a 136kg lift to break the previous record of 120 kg.

“In that competition, the whole eight athletes that we took to United Arab Emirates qualified 10 represent Nigeria and we are still hoping to qualify more athletes because the Federation hopes more on power lifting for more medals to come during the paralympic games.

Lovelyn Obiji broke the world junior record in that competition with the lift of 136 kilos to break the previous record of 120kg and she also went on to set a new world junior record of 138kg that gave her the gold medal in that competition.”

He said that the future of the paralympic games in the country was bright, and that the games had made some disabled persons in Nigeria to become celebrities.

Ekeoma called for sponsorship for the Federation, lamenting that the National Sports Commission had been the only source of encouragement.

The future of Nigeria in the power lifting game is very bright. It’s just a sign of good things to come when we go to London 2012 Paralympic Games.

“Our major constraint here is sponsorship because a lot of attention has been diverted to sports that always bring shame to Nigeria.

But I so much thank National Sports Commission ably led by Dr Patrick Ekeji who have been behind the power lifting success.”

He pealed to corporate organisations to assist in providing kits and others forms of sponsorship to the Federation.

Ekeoma noted that such a move would multiply the fortunes of the sponsors.

“We are calling on corporate bodies to come and brand us as we are going to London 2012. Companies can come to dress us, give us their logos and every other thing.

“We will put it on and go and sell them out there. We are celebrities and whatsoever thing we put on, shows ~that tJ.1ing is a quality thing because we are quality athletes.”

Tidesports reports that further qualifying series would hold in February at a yet to be named country and that PFN hopes to qualify 16 athletes for the London Paralympic game.