By Solomon Nwoke

THE Nigeria Weightlifting contingent for this year’s Commonwealth Games departs tomorrow to New Delhi India, venue of the Games to put a finishing touches to their preparation and for acclimatization ahead of the championship which starts from 3rd to 10th October, 2010.

The weightlifters could not make it to the World Weightlifting Championships currently going on in Antalya, Southern Turkey due to what the national federation (NWF) considered ‘close’ to the timing of the Commonwealth Games.

That sounded naiv, Federation scribe, Uche Onwumeh said the selected weightlifters have been camping at the Serob Hotel Abuja for the past couple of weeks.

Nigeria will be represented by 11 weight-lifters made up of Four males and Seven female which include; Felix Ekpo 77kg, Ben Uloko 85kg, Chukwuka Okoli 94kg, Curtis Onaghinor 105kg in the male category.

And Tina Nwokolo 48kg, Onyeka Azike 53kg, Ndid Ezeh 58kg, Obioma Okoli 63kg, Itohan Ebiregueshele 69kg, Hadiza Zakari 75kg and Mariam Usman +75kg in the female category.

Defending the disparity in the number of the male and the female lifters in the list, she said the female lifters have overtaken the men in their own game, hence the female lifters have been winning quality medals than the men in the recent past.