Bad beginning for Nigerian lifters, table tennis players march on

• D’Tigers, N’Zealand clash as Agboegbulem faces Tonga’s Huni
Team Nigeria’s weightlifting squad began their campaign at the on-going Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia on a losing note yesterday, as two of the lifters crashed out in their respective events.

Male lifter, Favour Agboro placed fifth and out of medal contention in the 62kg with a lift of 268kg. He lifted 112kg in the snatch and 156 kg in clean and jerk. He was closely followed by Monica Umeh, who failed to make the podium in the 48kg female category. She lifted 66kg in the snatch and 88kg in clean and jerk. Nigeria has two more weightlifters left in the competition.

Fatima Yakubu will try to write for weightlifting a better story this morning when she competes in the final of the women’s 53kg.

Nigeria had something to cheer in table tennis, where it defeated its Group 4 opponents, Malaysia and Belize, in their opening two ties.

Olajide Omotayo defeated Chee Feng from Malaysia in three straight sets of 13-11, 15-13, 11-7 in his second match of the day. He had earlier defeated Rohit Pagarani from Belize 11-4,11-2,11-2 in his first game.

Bode Abiodun also beat Mohammed Rizal from Malaysia 11-5, 11-7,13-11 in his second game after he had outclassed Devesh Hukmani also from Belize 11-5, 11-3, 11-2 in his first game.

In the men’s team doubles, the pair of Azeez Jamiu and Olajide Omotayo lost 11-4, 11-9 and 11-7 to Javen Choong and Chee Feng Leong from Malaysia.

They had earlier defeated Terry Su and Devesh Hukmani from Belize 11-6, 11-4, 11-5.

Bode Abiodun was expected to take on Javen Choong from Malaysia and Terry Su from Belize later yesterday.

In today’s events, Nigerian boxer, Millicent Agboegbulem will fight with Tonga’s Salote Huni in women’s boxing 75kg category. It is a round of 16 bout.

The male basketball team, D’Tigers will meet New Zealand in a preliminary round match at the Cairns Convention Centre. It will hold by 8.00 p.m. Australian time.

It is a Group D game that will set the pace for D’Tigers final position in the competition.

Yesterday, Nigerian Basketball Federation’s (NBBF) President, Musa Kida charged the Coach Alex Nwora boys to treat it as a final because of the quality of the opposition.

He noted that Group D, which also has Australia and Canada, is seen as the group of death due to the teams’ past records, adding, however, that Nigeria can qualify for the next round if it played its A game.