Nigeria’s female weightlifter, Rafiatu Lawal, has promised to make the country proud at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Lawal booked a ticket to the Paris 2024 after she posted a total lift of 227kg, with a snatch of 101kg as well as 126kg in clean and jerk.
Lawal with the feat has set a new African record in the women’s 59kg weightlifting event at the ongoing 2024 IWF World Cup in Thailand which serves as an Olympic qualifier.
The Commonwealth Games champion in an interview appealed to the authorities to provide adequate funding and training tours for the athletes so as to assist them to excel at the 2024 Olympics.
“I am super excited to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games; I have never felt this happy in my life since I started competing. It is also a thing of joy to set another African record en route to the Olympic Games.
“The most important thing at the moment is proper funding. I’ll need to attend some training tours before the Olympic Games in order to hit form and this can only be possible through adequate funds,” the 2019 African Games gold medallist told Sporting Tribune.
“My motivating factor is from my childhood. I have always had it in mind that I want to become one of the most successful sports personalities in Africa when I grow up. I am happy the coast is becoming clearer.”
The African Games triple gold medallist lauded the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for his constant support for sports in the state while calling on President Bola Tinubu to further boost sports in the country.
“I want to thank the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde for his effort at transforming sports in the state. He has focused on other sports and is trying his best to give us a sense of belonging.
“We need more recognition and support from the Federal Government. President Bola Tinubu needs to give 100 per cent attention to other sports, which always dominate medals during major competitions,” Lawal who set a game record of 206kg from her snatch and clean and jerk lifts at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the women’s 59kg said.
Recall Lawal also won the gold at the just-concluded 2023 African Games held in Ghana.