Team Nigeria on Saturday emerged the overall winner at the 8th Africa Armwrestling Championships, which ended at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
Nigeria clinched the first position with 19 gold, 16 silver and 11 bronze medals, while Ghana finished second with 10 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze.
Mali settled for the third position with 8 gold, 4 silver and a bronze medal.
Olatunji Jackson, the President of the Nigeria Armwrestling Federation, told the News Agency of Nigeria that he was happy with the team’s brilliant performance in the championship.
Jackson said the victory was an attestation that the sport was developing at a fast pace in the country.
He said: “I am happy and delighted with the outcome of this competition; the athletes did the country proud with their performance.
“The sport is growing and developing fast than I expected and I know this win is the beginning of greater things to come as far as armwrestling is concern.”
Also, Femi Akinsanya, the Head Coach of the team, said the team deserved the victory owing the amount of effort put in while preparing for the competition.
Akinsanya appealed for government and private sector support to move the sport forward.
NAN reports that Ghana, Mali, Egypt, Cameroon and host Nigeria participated in the championships, which began on June 29 and ended on Saturday.