By Victor Kanayo
A total of 50 athletes from 17 nations across Africa, including the host country, are taking part in the ongoing Africa Senior Weightlifting Championship (ASWC), scheduled to end on Sunday, April 28, 2025.
Participating countries are Nigeria, Madagascar, Ghana, Cameroon, host Mauritius, Burundi, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Others are Tanzania, Zanzibar, Gambia, Uganda, and Lesotho.
Heritage Times HT reports that Nigerian athletes will, on Thursday, April 24, begin their quest for medals when they take to the podium.
Nigeria will be competing in six categories with six lifters.
According to the schedule, the Nigerian lifters — Didih Onome Omolola in 55kg and Lawal Rafiatu Folashade in 59kg, will begin proceedings. Omolola, who competed at the 2024 World Weightlifting Championship in Bahrain, will raise the curtain for Nigeria in the 55kg women’s category, while 2024 Olympian and African champion, Lawal Rafiatu Folashade, will compete in the 59kg. Both categories will commence at 11 a.m. Nigeria time.
Later in the evening, two lifters — Tuesday Emmanuel, featuring in 67kg, and Umoafia Edidiong Joseph in 73kg, will compete from 1 p.m. Nigeria time.
Umoafia, who has been a dominant force in Africa and in the Commonwealth, is expected to retain the gold medals he previously won.
