Paralympics Committee assures Nigerian on medals at Rio Games

Forum 7 years ago

Paralympics Committee assures Nigerian on medals at Rio Games

The Nigeria Paralympics Committee (NPC) on Monday assured Nigerians that its athletes would win medals for the country at the forthcoming Paralympics in Rio, Brazil, from September 7 to 18.
The paralympic athletes have always rescued the country from shame when able-bodied athletes fail to win medals at the Olympics as witnessed in the London 2012 Games.

At the London games, they won 13 medals comprising six gold, five silver and two bronze where as their able-bodied counterparts returned without a medal.


The committee’s President, Monday Emoghawve, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that preparations for the Games had not been an easy task for the athletes due to financial constraints.

Emoghawve won gold for the country at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics in Spain and 1996 Atlanta, U.S., Paralympics respectively.

He said that the nation would feature in powerlifting, table tennis and athletics at the Games.

“This present Paralympics preparation is full of challenges as a result of Nigeria’s economic meltdown, but we will try our best to do the country proud.


“We have never disappointed before and we will not disappoint in Brazil.

“All the support we have received so far is from the government and it is not sufficient because government alone cannot finance sports.

“It is not too late for corporate organisations to identify with the athletes before the commencement of the event to boost their morale,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the country has won in total, 26 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze medals in the Paralympics since its debut in the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics in Spain.