Nigeria increased its medal tally to five at the end of proceedings on Day 7 of the 12th African Games currently ongoing in Morocco as Uzoamaka Otuadinma and Elizabeth Anyanacho both won bronze medals in Taekwondo.

Anyanacho lost to the number one seeded Egyptian Hedaya Wahba 14-6 in the semifinal of the women’s -67kg class to claim bronze in that category while Otuadinma also took bronze after she fell 8-15 to Tunisia’s Amani Layouni in the women’s -73kg category.

All five medals won by Nigeria so far have come from Taekwondo with Sunday Onofe (men’s 80-87kg) and Benjamin Okuomose (men’s over 87kg) having won bronze medals earlier while Chinazum Nwosu (women’s 49-53kg) won the country’s sole gold medal on Wednesday, 21 August.

In other events contested on Thursday, 23 August, Nigeria’s men and women’s table tennis teams breezed into the final of the team event where they face formidable foes Egypt with the winners securing the sole ticket in both categories for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The final comes up today, Friday, 23 August.

In Basketball, Nigeria’s women’s 3×3 team completely annihilated Niger 21-5 to progress to the quarterfinals where they will be joined by their male counterparts who make the last eight despite losing to Angola (13-16) and Mali (16-21) on Thursday.

The country did not fare as well in Rowing as Adeola Smart could only finish in 6th place in the women’s singles scull 500m Heats, while Suku Samuel placed 4th in the men’s singles scull 500m Heats.

There was more uplifting news in the mixed Badminton event where Team Nigeria spanked their Ethiopian opponents 5-0 although it was tempered by defeat for Adeniji Yusuf who lost 2-3 to Congo DR’s Rocky Bukasa in the men’s featherweight (57kg) preliminaries in Boxing.

Egypt lead the medals table with 50 medals made up of 14 gold, 20 silver and 16 bronze medals. South Africa are second with 27 medals comprising 12 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze medals. Algeria have a total of 30 medals in third place having amassed 10 gold, 8 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Hosts Morocco are fourth having won a total of 27 medals so far with 8 gold, 9 silver and 10 bronze medals. Tunisia complete the top five with a medal count of 24 after 7 days of action. The North Africans have recorded 6 gold, 9 silver and 9 bronze medals. Team Nigeria’s five medals place them eleventh on the medals log.