2021 Paralympics Games: NAWIS praise Para Athletes for their outstanding performance in Tokyo

The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS) has celebrated Nigeria Para Para Athletes for their great performance at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics games.

In a press release by the President of NAWIS, Professor Florence Adeyanju who was also a former President of Nigeria Paralympic Committee, lauded the para powerlifting, Para Athletics and Para Table Tennis team for putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians.

Professor Adeyanju stated that the Para Athletes always come to rescue of the country whenever there are shortage of medals at the Olympic proper.

She said

, "The Association is very proud of your performance bringing all the Medals for the country as a follow up to the wonderful performances of Blessing Oduduru and Ese Brume in the main Olympic. 

"Bose Omolayo, Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Latifat Tijani announced to the world that Nigeria is still a power house in the Para Powerlifting event. They always rescue the country whenever all hope are lost after every Olympics".

Professor Adeyanju said NAWIS is proud of their representative, Dr Joy Mayaki who put down her wealth of experience in piloting the affairs of the Federation as Technical Director.

She said, "We are proud of our Representative on the Board of Para Power Lifting Federation Dr Joy Mayaki, what a great way to celebrate your new status".

Nigeria won 3 gold (Bose Omolayo, Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Latifat Tijani), 1 Silver (Loveline Obiji) and 2 bronze medal (Lucy Ejike and Ibrahim Olaitan) all from women.

Meanwhile, Flora Ugunnwa won gold medal in the javelin, Njideaka Iyiazi won bronze medal in the women F57 Shot Put and Lauretta Onye won bronze medal in the shot put

Team Nigeria finished  33rd position on the medals table of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with a total number of ten medals won which include four gold, 1 silver and five bronze.

Team Nigeria finishes 33rd, 4th in Africa as Tokyo 2020 Paralympics end

Team Nigeria have finished in the 33rd position on the medals table of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and 4th in Africa. 

With a total number of ten medals won which include four gold, a silver and five bronze, Team Nigeria were the 4th best African team behind Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

Represented by only 22 athletes, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics had one of Team Nigeria's smallest contingents to an international competition and yet her ten medals were just two short of twelve, her record number of medals won at a Paralympic Games.

According to Team Nigeria's Chef de Mission, Mr. Peter Nelson who is also the Director of Planning, Monitoring and Information in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the athletes did Nigeria proud, considering their number.

"It is awesome and quite remarkable what we have achieved at this Paralympic Games," Nelson remarked.

"We want to use this medium to appreciate the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, for his enormous support, in making sure that Team Nigeria recorded huge successes. Our dreams and plans came to reality.

"Also, i want to thank the Permanent Secretary, Mr  Nebolisa Anako, for his giant strides too, in making sure that everything went to plan.

"In all, I give glory to God and specially appreciate the athletes, who are the gladiators, not forgetting their coaches and support staff. They all made it possible for the Nigerian anthem to be heard ten good times at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games," the Chef de Mission concluded.

Sports Minister, Amokachi Welcome Heroic Paralympians

Youth and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare and the Special Assistant on Sports to President Buhari, Daniel Amokachi led the rousing welcome for the first batch of Paralympians who returned home from Tokyo, Japan.

The athletes, mainly the power lifters, arrived in Lagos Thursday afternoon aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight to the warm welcome of the Minister, Daniel Amokachi, as well as an appreciable number of journalists and supporters.

At the short reception held at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Sunday Dare and Daniel Amokachi praised the athletes for giving their best and doing the nation proud.

The Sports Minister would also commend them for competing fairly and holding their own against some of the best Paralympians in the world.

Dare said: "You have done us proud. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is happy with you. Nigerians are happy with you and all we can say now to all of you is 'thank you'.

"It is not just about the colour of medals around your necks. Whether you have a medal round your necks or not. You have demonstrated that you have great abilities inspite of your challenges.

"You should also be happy and proud of yourselves. You broke records, set some new world records, received standing ovations many times and held your own against the best and kept your heads up," Dare concluded.