Nigeria’s Rio 2016 Paralympic gold medalist, Ndidi Nwosu, has died after a brief illness.
Former President of the Nigeria Powerlifting Federation (NPPF), Queen Uboh-Idris, confirmed her death on Wednesday.
Uboh-Idris said she was informed of the incident by the athlete’s husband, Ikechukwu Nwosu.
She said Ndidi sustained an injury from the 2018 Commonwealth Games and has had two surgeries.
Uboh-Idris added that the surgeries forced Nwosu not to participate in the last World Cup.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has paid tribute to Nwosu.
He described her death, in a tweet on Wednesday, as a ‘great loss’ to the sports family.
“The death of NDIDI NWOSU, a powerlifter who represented her country, Nigeria excellently at different international competitions is painful. A great loss to the sports family. She had an excellent medal record. She will be remembered as a patriot who gave her best to her country,” he wrote.
