Team Nigeria’s Rolland Ezuruike on Friday won the country’s first gold of the Rio 2016 Paralympics after setting a new Games record.
The 40-year-old lifted 200kg in the men’s -54kg weight class in the Powerlifting event hours after Latifat Tijani won the country’s first medal at the Games – a silver in the women’s -45kg weight category of the same event.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist was largely unchallenged in the event as he led throughout his three attempts. Ezuruike broke the Paralympic record with his first lift of 185kg and never looked like he was going to lose his lead.
The Nigerian, who weighs 51.73kg, went further in his second lift as he extended the record by 5kg with a lift of 190kg. His final lift of 200kg drew a loud applause from the crowd as he entered the record books.
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