Rafiatu Lawal has received a brand new watch from Longines, the official sponsors of the 2022 Commonwealth Games for breaking records.
Another weightlifter Adijat Olarinoye who won Nigeria’s first gold also received a Longines for her world record.
Photos of the duo displaying their silver-coloured watches were posted on Instagram on Thursday to celebrate their victory.
The caption of the post read: “For breaking the #CommonwealthGames records in their Weightlifting events, Nigerian lifters Folashade Rafiatu Lawal & Adijat Olarinoye both received new watches from Longines, the official sponsors of the Games. Both athletes broke the GRs in the 55kg & 59kg respectively.”
Olarinoye, 23, made a new Commonwealth Games record with a total of 203kg.
Rafiatu Lawal also won a gold medal in the women’s 59kg weightlifting category.
Lawal’s victory on Sunday gave Nigeria its second gold medal in the competition won by weightlifters.
Lawal created a new Commonwealth Games record by lifting a combined total of 206kg.
The 25-year-old won three gold medals for Nigeria at the 2019 African Games in Morocco.
Lawal, who set a new African record in the 59kg women’s snatch weightlifting event to win her first gold at the African Games, also won the other two events (regular and Clean-Jerk) in the category.
Lawal spoke with Premium Times at the time about how she felt about winning three gold medals in her debut appearance at the African Games.
Meanwhile, Obiageri Amaechi clinched a bronze medal at in the women’s discus throw event.
Her victory on Tuesday, August 2 earned Nigeria her fourth bronze medal in the competition.
The California-based athlete won the bronze medal with a throw of 56.99m in her fifth attempt.
Teenage weightlifter Taiwo Liadi also won a silver medal the women’s 76kg weightlifting event, setting a new junior Commonwealth Games record by lifting 120kg in the clean and jerk to beat 11 competitors to the silver medal.
The 19-year-old on Tuesday, August 2 finished second behind Canada’s Maya Laylor, who set a new Commonwealth Games record in the clean and jerk with a lift of 128kg.
