Faith Obiora captained Team Nigeria to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India and she boasts of silver and bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games. The mother of one will be making her second appearance at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil and she is hopeful she would just participate but pick medal in her event.
Obiora, who has been training at the National Training Centre of the Lagos National Stadium, is in fine form the games while hoping that she would return home with a medal without being specific on the colour of the laurel.
In Morocco, I must admit that it was not easy qualifying for the Paralympic Games but I think I worked hard for the qualification”, she said.
She added: “I must also admit that it has not been easy for me but I must thank my husband who has been supportive; my baby was just 10 months old when I went to United States Open in 2013”, continued Obiora. “My husband baby sat him and even while I went for training; I am grateful for all his support.”
Crowned African champion when she won the Women’s Singles Class 1-5 title in Agadir, Morocco last October, Obiora will fly the flag for Nigeria at the forthcoming Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
She is the one female amongst the three players from the Nigeria who will be competing in the Brazilian city. Others are Ahmed Koleosho (Class 3) and Emmanuel Nick (Class 4) are the two male players name on the entry list.
Competing in Class 5, now 31 years old Obiora, who when younger suffered from poliomyelitis and is a contender for honours.
Presently in her class she is listed at no.10, having in November 2014 been at no.6, the highest status of her career. Also, a silver medallist in Women’s Singles Class 1-5 a decade ago at the 2006 Commonwealth Games has enjoyed more recent success.
In 2013 she was the silver medallist in Class 4-5 at the Mike Dempsey Memorial Tournament staged in San Diego in 2013, more recently at the 2015 Morocco Para Open; she was the gold medallist in Women’s Singles Class 1-5.
It will be the second time that Faith Obiora has competed in the Paralympic Games; she was in action in 2008 in Beijing; competing in Women’s Singles Class 4. She finished in third place in her group; in Rio de Janeiro, ambitions are higher.
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