China Wins Paris Paralympics, Team Nigeria Finishes 40th

The 2024 Paris Paralympics ended on Sunday with Team China finished top of the medals table with 220, including 94 gold.

Great Britain was second in both golds (49) and total medals (125), with Team USA coming third in both categories (36 golds, 105 total medals).

The majority of China’s medal came in para track and field and para swimming, where both men and women stood out. China won 21 golds and 59 total medals in track and field, plus 22 golds and 54 total medals in swimming.

China have led the way at every Paralympics since Athens 2004.

Team Nigeria finished 40th on the medals standing with seven medals, comprising two gold, three silver and two bronze medals

Team Nigeria’s captain, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, clinched a gold medal in the powerlifting event on the final day of the Paralympics 2024, shattering two world records with an impressive weight lift of 167kg capped off Nigeria’s outing.

Oluwafemiayo is now a two-time Paralympic champion.

The 39-year-old has a silver from the London 2012 Paralympic Games and gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Her remarkable achievement on Sunday was preceded by other notable wins, including Flora Ugwunwa’s silver medal in the Women’s Javelin F54 event on Saturday, which marked Nigeria’s first medal in Para-Athletics at the Games.

Onyinyechi Mark also made history with a gold medal win in Para-Powerlifting, breaking her own world record with a breathtaking weight lift of 147kg.
Isau Ogunkunle secured a bronze medal in Para-Table Tennis, while Esther Nworgu won silver in the women’s up to 41kg Para-Powerlifting event, setting two new Paralympic Records.
Eniola Bolaji made history as the first African to win a medal in Badminton at the Olympic or Paralympic Games, defeating her Ukrainian opponent in straight sets.
Their medal-winning performances will serve as a big consolation for Nigeria, who performed woefully in the main Olympic Games with a single medal.