By Olanrewaju Akojede
Adijat Olarinoye, the 2022 National Sports Festival (NSF) 59kg weightlifting silver medalist, has given the reason for her movement from the lower category to upper category at the ongoing festival.
Olarinoye in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the finals of the 59kg weightlifting event on Wednesday in Asaba, disclosed that she was motivated to move up.
NAN reports that Olarinoye a gold medalist in 53kg event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham settled for silver in a her new 59kg category.
Olarinoye was beaten by another gold medalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Rofiat Lawal.
The silver medalist said she was determined to stay afloat of the new category because she wanted a new challenge.
“I feel that I can do better in the upper category and I also noticed that reducing my weight has been a problem.
“Whenever I reduce my weight, my performances always drop, so I told my coaches that I want to move to the next class to break new records.
“I am grateful to God that I did a new personal best in Snatch which I have not done in any competition before,” she said.
Olarinoye said she would prefer to stay put at the class, adding that it would give her more challenge.
“I am competing in a new category which gives me more confidence and a challenge to be better in my performances.
“I will have to stay in this category either at the national or international competitions; I hope to have a fantastic result in my game next time,” she said. (NAN)
