![\"\"](\"https:\/\/panoramanews.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AFP__20240904__36FJ3G7__v1__Preview__PowerliftingOlyParis2024ParalympicsMedals-768x512-4-300x200.jpg\")
Silver medallist Nigeria’s Esther Nworgu celebrates during the victory ceremony for the para powerlifting women’s up to 41kg final event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at La Chapelle Arena in Paris on September 4, 2024. (Photo by Franck FIFE \/ AFP)<\/p>\n
Agency Report<\/span><\/p>\n Kindly share:<\/span><\/p>\n Nigerian Paralympics powerlifter Esther Nworgu said on Wednesday claiming the silver medal in Paris was \u201clike heaven\u201d having dislocated her shoulder just two days ago.<\/span><\/p>\n Iwogu, who lost the use of her legs as a child, only missed out on gold in the bench press to defending champion in China\u2019s Cui Zhe in the up to 41kg category by one kilogram.<\/span><\/p>\n The 21-year-old\u2019s efforts were limited however as she was effectively lifting the bar with one arm due to the injury.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI was so emotional because I never expected any medal from this competition,\u201d Nworgu told reporters.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI had an injury two days ago and the doctors confirmed that I should not compete because it was critical.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere is no adjective I can use to quantify my happiness right now.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is like heaven to me,\u201d the wheelchair user added with heavy strapping on her right shoulder after the medal ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI accepted my disability, joined it with the love in my personality and this (the medal) is the result,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t like using \u201cd-i-s\u201d in my ability, I like using \u201cth-i-s\u201d in my ability.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen there is disability there is ability and what people see as \u2018disability\u2019 is not what I see, I see it as a strength and an ability.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn sport, there are many things you have to realise about yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSport is like an X-ray, it brings you out and shows what you are inside,\u201d she added philosophically.<\/span><\/p>\n Nworgu is part of a strong Nigeria powerlifting field in the French capital which includes eight competitors and a host of world record holders.<\/span><\/p>\n Their historic success in the sport comes from government funding into coaching.<\/span><\/p>\n After securing silver and a temporary world record, Nworgu fell to the ground with her coach Patience Igbiti, who won a Paralympic silver and bronze medal at Athens in 2004 and then Beijing four years later.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNigerians are strong people. Our strength comes from the mind,\u201d a smiling Nworgu said on the opening day of powerlifting at the 2024 Games.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen you tell yourself \u2018I can do this\u2019 you see yourself doing it.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen you speak it in your mind you see your body doing it,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n In the next Paralympics in Los Angeles in four years\u2019 time, China\u2019s gold medallist Zhe will be 41, while Nworgu will be three months shy of her 26th birthday.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn the nearby future, I want to rule my world,\u201d Nworgu said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI want to win medals, break and create world records,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n AFP<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Silver medallist Nigeria’s Esther Nworgu celebrates during the victory ceremony for the para powerlifting women’s up to 41kg final event…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,14],"tags":[640,639],"class_list":["post-2170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-sports","tag-esther-nworgu","tag-paralympics"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/panoramanews.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-04-at-16.22.11_a8b9fb67-768x391-1-300x153.jpg\")
As an eight-year-old Nworgu lost the use of her legs without a clinical reason before then starting the sport a decade ago.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/panoramanews.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AFP__20240904__36FH7PZ__v1__Mockup__PowerliftingOlyParis2024Paralympics-768x514-1-300x201.jpg\")
Nigerian Esther Nworgu celebrates with a coach after winning the silver medal at the end of the Powerlifting Women\u2019s up to 41 kg final event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at La Chapelle Arena, in Paris, France, on September 4, 2024. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE \/ AFP)<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/panoramanews.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AFP__20240904__36FH7M6__v1__Preview__PowerliftingOlyParis2024ParalympicsMedals-768x513-2-300x200.jpg\")
(L\/R) Silver medallist Nigeria\u2019s Esther Nworgu, Gold medallist China\u2019s Zhe Cui and Bronze medallist Brazil\u2019s Lara Aparecida de Lima celebrate during the victory ceremony for the para powerlifting women\u2019s up to 41kg final event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at La Chapelle Arena in Paris on September 4, 2024. (Photo by Franck FIFE \/ AFP)<\/span><\/p>\n