Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume… meet Nigerians who won gold medals at 2022 CWG

By Genevieve Aningo

World Athletic Champion, Oluwatobi Amusan alongside with other Nigerian female athletes have earned Nigeria seventh position at the recently concluded 2022 Commonwealth Games at Alexander Arena in Birmingham, England.

At the end of the game on Sunday, Nigeria emerged top position in Africa and seventh globally on the medals standing. These ranged from wrestling, long jump, discus throw, weight lifting etc. 

The 2022 Commonwealth Games or Birmingham 2022 was officially known as the XXII Commonwealth Games and ran from July 28th to August 8th. The international game was a multisport for members of the Commonwealth of Nations of which Nigeria and many popular African nations belonged.

Nigeria led other African Nations with a score of 33 points. Below are the scores for the other 11 commonwealth African countries that participated .  

South Africa =26 points,

 Kenya = 16 points,

Uganda = 5 points 

Cameroon = 3 points 

Zambia = 2 points 

Mauritius = 4 points 

Tanzania = 3 points 

 Gambia = 1 points 

Namibia = 4 points 

Ghana = 2 points 

Botswana = 1 points 

With these strides, Nigeria is a holder of many sports accolades and 35 medals (that is 12 gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals).

Below are the 12 Gold earners at CWG 2022. 

OlUWATOBI AMUSAN

The 12.06s 100 meter hurdle world breaker at Oregon 2022  this time around won the 13 minutes barrier 100 meters hurdle with a time record of 12:30s. The 25 year old from southern Nigeria is not only a world champion but now a commonwealth champion. 

Nigerian female Quartet 4*100M Relay ( Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, and  Grace Nwokocha)

The 4*100m was led by Tobi, next Ofili, then Chukwuma while Nwokocha finished the race and all together, the team succeeded at a time of 42.10 seconds, setting an African record in the process.

Favour Ofili is a 19 year old from eastern Nigeria , while Rosemary Chukwuma is 20years  old from Ebonyi state and Grace 21 years old from the south east.

Chioma Onyekwere

She is a 24 year old American – born Nigerian who secured the commonwealth champion list by winning Gold at Discus throw on August 3rd. 

Rofiatu Folashade

Rofiatu won 2 Golds at the CWG.  The 25-year-old weightlifter won in the women’s 59kg snatch;  lifting a total of 206kg to set a Commonwealth record for accumulated lifts.

In the clean and jerk she lifted 110kg, 115kg, and 116kg in all her attempts

Similarly in 2019, she won gold at the 2019 African Games and the 2021 African Weightlifting Championships.

Alice Oluwafemiayo

Powerlifter Oluwafemiayo set a new world record with 123.4kg in the women’s heavyweight. This earned the 37-year old Gold at the Commonwealth Games 2022

Eucharia Iyiazi

Iyiazi claimed her first Gold in the women’s F55-57 shot by a throw of 10.03 meters at her fifth attempt.  Her first, second attempts were nothing while third was  9.54m and fourth 9.65m . She is a bronze holder at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. 

Adijat Olarinoye 

She is another Gold breaker, setting a new Games’ record of 203kg in the women’s 55kg Weightlifting event. The 23year old attempts went from 110kg and 111kg in quick succession in the Clean and Jerk.

Odunayo Adekuoroye

Two -time reigning Commonwealth Games champion clinched the Gold medal by defeating  her Indian opponent Anshu Malik 6-4 in the 57kg Freestyle category. The 28-year-old is from Ondo state. 

Mercy Genesis

24 year old Genesis made history by winning a gold medal at the CWG. Wrestler Mercy Genesis defeated her Canadian opponent Madison Parks in the final of Women’s freestyle  50kg. She had a 3-1 VFA (victory by fall) to easily beat Parks.

Goodness Nwachukwu

The 23-year-old discus thrower got the gold prize in the Women’s Discus Throw  F42-44/61-64 event . She progressed from a throw of 33.35m, to  34.84m which she further improved upon with a throw of 36.56m.

Blessing Oborodudu

Blessing defeated her opponent  Linda Morais5-1 in the Women’s 68kg Freestyle event. Blessing is a 33 year old wrestler from Gbanranu Enugu state . 

Ese Brume

The  26-year-old added to the list of Golds won by the country’s athletes . She won in the long jump category and her victory accounts for the 12th gold to be won by Nigerians .