Nigeria's Flora Ugwunwa Wins Gold for Nigeria to Ends Tokyo Paralympics Games

Flora Ugwunwa 

Flora Ugwunwa won gold for Nigeria in the women’s F54 javelin event at the Tokyo Paralympics as team Nigeria on Saturday ended its campaign at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games winning another gold medal and a bronze on the final day of action.

The 37-year-old retained her Paralympic crown with a sensational 19.39 meters throw to register a new season-best on Friday.

She was the only contender to go beyond 19-metre mark and wasn’t pushed to better the 20.25m that won her gold in Rio 2016.

Uzbekistan’s Nurkhon Kurbanova took the silver medal as Yang Liwan of China finished with bronze.

The additional medals won on Saturday saw Nigeria finish with four gold, one silver, and five bronze medals.

Lauritta Onye started the closing day of Nigeria’s contest by winning bronze in the women’s F40 shot put event before Flora Ugunnwa ensured Nigeria signed out on a high from Tokyo with gold in the F54 javelin event.

As reported by SportsTalkAfrica, Onye competed under very difficult conditions on the wet and slippery grounds of the stadium.

She threw 8.29 metres which was enough for a podium finish but couldn’t rattle gold medalist, Sliwinska Renata of Poland whose 8.75 metres, cancelled out the Games record of 8.40m set in Rio 2016 by Onye.

Djelal Salem of Algeria secured the silver, with a throw of 8.33 metres.

Flora Ugunnwa, however, turned the story around in the F54 javelin final which was Nigeria’s last event in Tokyo.

She dusted her opponents with her 18.39 metres throw to leave Kurbanova Nurkorn of Uzbekistan and Yang Liwan of China in the second and third positions respectively.

Flora told Sportstalkafrica.com in Tokyo she had planned to achieve more at the Paralympic Games but remains thankful to God for the gold medal.

“My aim was to break my own record and set a new one. We had good training during our camping, thanks to the Minister of Sports (Sunday Dare) who ensured that the conditions were conducive, but the situation changed somewhat as we got into Japan.

“I had a little bit of difficulty with the time zone and weather, and I also became ill. All the same, I kept on and I thank God I ended with the gold.

“I dedicate it first to God who has been my strength and then to my husband and children, to my coach, Patrick Anaeto, as well as to coach Ade who has been very helpful through this period.”

With the 10 medals won, Nigeria occupies the 31st position behind two African countries Tunisia and Algeria who also have four gold like Nigeria but have more silver and bronze medals.

Already, the first batch of athletes that represented Nigeria at the Tokyo Paralympics has since returned to the country.

September 04, 2021