By Ed Malik, A / ed@ddnewsonline.com / September 16, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari has conferred on Commonwealth Games world record breaker, Oluwatobilola Ayomide Amusan (fondly called Tobi), the country’s national honour of “Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)”.

In a reception for Nigeria’s Contingent to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday September 15, 2022, President Buhari thanked the athletes for doing the nation proud and awarded them various awards and recognitions, including a N200M cash gift.

It will be recalled that Team Nigeria won the most medals in the just concluded 22nd edition of the Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

The Nigerian team won 12 gold, nine silver, and 14 bronze medals, with all the gold won by women.

The full list of all-female gold medalists comprised:

1. Amusan, Oluwatobiloba – 100m Hurdles

The 26-year-old Tobi won the 100m hurdles in 12.30 seconds, which was a games record and she’s now the reigning world champion of the Commonwealth Games.

2. Brume, Ese – Long Jump

Brume is a consistent athlete who has maintained her enviable record of getting a medal in every tournament where she has represented Nigeria. She won gold at the Commonwealth Games with a 7.00m leap.

3. Mercy Genesis Miesinnei – Weight (50 kg)

Twenty-four-year-old Genesis, moved up to the 50kg weight class after winning gold at the 2015 All African Games and clinched it again in the commonwealth games.

4. Oborududu Blessing – Wrestling (68kg)

The 33-year-old Olympic silver medalist, successfully defended her gold medal from the Gold Coast Games.

5. Odunayo Adekuoroye – Wrestling (57kg)

Adekuoroye won gold for the second time in the Commonwealth Games to make up for her Olympic disappointment in 2020.

6. Rafiatu Folashade Lawal – Weightlifting (59kg)

Lawal, 25, already has four gold medals in her kitty from various international tournaments, beginning with the African Games in Rabat in 2019; the 2021 African and Commonwealth Championships; and now gold at her first outing at the Commonwealth Games.

7. Adijat Olarinoye – Weightlifting (55kg)

Olarinoye, 23, is a surprise revelation who followed up her silver at the World Wrestling Championship in Tashkent, with her first-ever Commonwealth Games gold.

8. Folashade Oluwafemiayo – Para Powerlifting (75kg)

37-years old Oluwafemiayo, has always shown class and had won a gold medal in the Summer Paralympics in 2020. She also has gold medals from the World Championships in 2017, 2019, and 2021.

9. Eucharia Iyiazi – F55-57 Shot Put

At 48 years, she is Team Nigeria’s oldest member. Eucharia began her gold medal journey at the 2008 Olympic Games. She has bronze medals from the Olympic Games in 2012, 2016, and 2020.

10. Chioma Onyekwere – Shot Put

Chioma Onyekwere, is a 28-year-old triplet by birth and a mechanical engineer by training. She was disappointed with her 21st-place finish at the World Championships in Oregon, but she more than made up for it with a gold medal in Birmingham, with a throw of 61.70m. Her career-best throw is 63.30m.

11. Goodness Nwachukwu – Discus Throw

Nwachukwu, 23, won gold at the Commonwealth Games after previously winning gold at the 2021 Tunis WPA Grand Prix. She also broke her former world record of 32.95m by setting a new one of 36.56m.

12. Women’s 4x100m Relay

The quartet of Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, Grace Nwokocha, and Amusan won gold in a new African record of 42.30s.