Sports

Weightlifting: Yinka Ayenuwa Eyes Podium Finish At Paris 2024 Olympics

Published

2 weeks ago

March 8, 2023

2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Yinka Ayenuwa said his target is to win a medal for Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the weightlifting event.

The 2015 All African Games silver told said that preparations for the forthcoming Olympics started in 2019.

The Nigeria Weightlifting Champion said with modern weightlifting facilities at his disposal in the United States of America, the 2024 Africa Games will serve as a training tour.

He said, “I am seriously preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics and I want to tell you that the journey began in 2019. I won three gold medals at the 2018 Southern California Weightlifting Championships in the US before winning 2 gold and 1 silver medals for Team Delta at the 2019 National Sports Festival in Abuja.

“My first target was to represent Nigeria at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, but it suffered postponement till 2024. I have access to modern weightlifting training facilities here in the US and this has assisted me greatly. I believe I have what it takes to land a medal for Nigeria in Paris next year.”

The former African silver medallist said his wealth of experience gathered over the last 15 years will prove effective in upcoming International Championships.

Yinka Ayenuwa has won the following Laurel for Nigeria: 1 gold and 1 silver at the 2007 All African Games in Algeria1 silver at the 2007 African Weightlifting Championship in South Africa, 1 , bronze medal at the 2013 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in Malaysia, 1 silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland amongst others.

He was Ranked 16th at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championship

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Sports

BAL 2023: Igoche Mark Hails Kwara Falcons’ Performance

Published

6 mins ago

March 22, 2023

The Gleamer

The Initiator of Mark D Ball Basketball Championship, Mr.Igoche Mark has hailed Kwara Falcons’ bravery as the team crashed out of the Basket Africa League, BAL.

The Ilorin Based team and Nigerian Champions, making their continental debut but failed to win any of their five games in BAL 2023.

Mark, in a message to team, described their continental outing as superb,
magnificent and
majestic; Insisting that the team’s performance shouldn’t be about results but experience gained.

“I salute the bravery of Kwara Falcons, Nigeria’s representative at BAL.Your outing was superb,
magnificent and majestic.As a player and a lover of the game, I was thrilled by your performance, as results matter less when compared to the experience gained.” Mark stated.

The statement berated the lack of domestic basketball in Nigeria for years, which in turn has affected the team’s output.

“Sadly, the lack of domestic games in recent times played a huge role in the outcome of results at BAL.The team could have done better if the domestic league of basketball was still alive, as it would have provided that competitiveness before going to BAL. Since the last Mark D Ball Championship, no competitive game as been played which would have made the team form that synergy among the players.You did well in the continent, but we have failed in the aspect of developing the game locally.”

Continuing, Mark added “In your opening game against Rwanda Energy Group, you fought back from a 12-point deficit in the second quarter to tie 31-31 in the early third quarter.This singular action shows that we have the potentials that need to be refined.”

“The New Face of Basketball is proud of your prowess, especially taking the fighting spirit displayed in last year’s Mark D Ball Basketball Championship to the continent. This will further spur us to do more for domestic basketball in Nigeria.” Mark stated.

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