Weightlifting: Kenyans Langat and Oduor strike silver as Achieng bags bronze

Triple Africa silver medallist Winny Langat (women 59kg) and new entrant Janet Oduor (45kg) bagged silver medals at the Africa Weightlifting Championships cum Olympic qualifiers in Nairobi last evening. 

Teenager Rachael Achieng won bronze in women’s 64kg. Lang’at scored 61 in Snatch and 81 in Clean and Jerk for 142 points.

Odour scored 42 points in Snatch and 50 in Clean and Jerk for 92 points. Achieng, who is also the Youth and Junior Africa bronze medalist, had 60 and 70 in the categories for 130.

Kenya’s Anthony Libasia scored 117 points in Snatch and 137 in Clean and Jerk to finish fourth with 254 points in men 73kg.

The category was won by Ben Hnia of Tunisia who amassed 330 points. At the same time, Africa Zone Two champion Wilkister Nadzuwah Nyiro will be in action this afternoon in the women 76kg.

She longs to improve her Clean and Jerk personal best that currently stands at 82kg.

Her personal best in Snatch is 70kg. “I am ready for the competition, it’s now or never. I want another gold,” she said. Nyiro has been training at Alpha Fit Gym in Nairobi and in Kitengela since returning from the 2019 African Games in Morocco where she finished seventh overall.

She believes she stands a great chance in the ongoing qualifier owing to the fact that she has been conducting her exercises under supervision of five weightlifting coaches and three others for strength and body conditioning.

“I feel my technique is good. I am now waiting to replicate the same on the podium on Saturday.”

Nyiro was introduced to the sport by coach David Adeyomo who guided Kenyan Olympian James Omondi Adede to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. “Apart from embracing the sport, I have also taken the initiative to mentor young players from Thika,” Nyiro said.

Meanwhile Olympic coronavirus guidelines are being drawn up for each separate sports competition, a Tokyo 2020 senior official said yesterday. Organisers have released Covid-19 prevention measures.