Nigeria would have ended the tournament with her highest-ever gold medals haul had weightlifter Chika Amalaha not been stripped of her medal for failing a doping test.
The 16-year-old Amalaha, who won the women’s 53kg competition, tested positive in her A and B samples which contained prohibited diuretics and masking agents.
Had her gold medal counted, Nigeria would have ended the games with 12 gold medals, thus beating the record set at the 1994 Games in Victoria, Canada.
At the 1994 games, the team finished fourth overall with 37 medals, picking 11 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze medals.
The setback notwithstanding, Team Nigeria’s haul of 36 medals marginally betters the 2010 outing in New Delhi, India where Nigeria claimed 11 gold, eight silver and 14 bronze medals.
NAN recalls that team Nigeria finished eighth overall at the last Commonwealth games in 2010.
Speaking on the Glasgow 2014 performance, Tunde Popoola, the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), applauded Team Nigeria.
He said the team could be described the “Pride of the Nation’’.
Popoola said Nigerians should rise and salute Team Nigeria for their spectacular performance at the Games.
“Certainly, I am impressed and overjoyed with the performance of Team Nigeria at the Games.
“In a multi-sports event like this, with 71 countries participating, it is a thing of joy that our country’s contingent did well.
“To have also heard our national anthem played several times as our flag flew high in far-away Scotland was so overwhelming.
“They have done well and deserve applause from us all,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the next Commonwealth Games will hold in 2018 in Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia from April 4 to 15.(NAN)
[eap_ad_4]