Lucy Ejike

Started: She began powerlifting in 2000. (Athlete, 10 Jul 2019) Reason: "I saw some people with an impairment doing Para powerlifting and it made me interested in the sport. I went to the gym and the coach was happy to train me. I had a passion for powerlifting and I wanted to use it to inspire the world." (bbc.co.uk, 03 Sep 2020; Athlete, 10 Jul 2019) Milestones: She is one of three powerlifters, alongside Egyptian Fatma Omar and Mexican Amalia Perez, to have won six career Paralympic medals. All three won their sixth medal at the 2020 Games in Paris. (SportsDeskOnline, 21 Jul 2024) At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, she became the first Nigerian in any sport to win six career Paralympic medals when she claimed bronze in the women's 61kg division. Her compatriot, athletics competitor Njideka Eucharia Iyiazi, achieved the same feat several days later in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 21 Feb 2024) She became the first female athlete representing Nigeria to win three gold medals at the Paralympic Games by claiming victory in the 61kg category at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. She had also won gold in 2004 and 2008. (SportsDeskOnline, 21 Feb 2024) Awards: She was named Female Athlete of the Year at the 2016 Nigeria Sports Awards. (powerlifting.ng, 14 Aug 2018; vanguardngr.com, 05 Dec 2016) She was flag bearer for Nigeria at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (myinfo.rio2016.com, 06 Sep 2016) Additional Info: RIVALRY WITH OTMAR Her rivalry with Egyptian Para powerlifter Fatma Omar has provided motivation for her sporting career. The pair competed in all six editions of the Paralympic Games from 2000 to 2021, and against one another in the same categories in 2000, 2012, and 2016. Omar won gold in 2000 and 2012 when Ejike claimed silver but, in 2016 Ejike claimed gold and Omar silver. "Fatma Omar is the one who has pushed me to be stronger. She is my friend and we are very close. When we met for the first time at the 2000 Games, she showed me that I would have a very big task. I asked myself, 'Does the person who won gold have two heads? Definitely not. She has one head', and if she could get gold, I can also get a gold medal. She made me start working harder than ever. At the 2016 Games, it was tense and everybody was there to watch Lucy and Fatma. It was very tough but it was the day I won a gold against Omar and it sent me crazy. I was shouting a lot." (bbc.co.uk, 03 Sep 2020; paralympic.org, 17 Aug 2020; paralympic.org, 26 Jun 2019) OCCUPATION In 2000 she began working as a sports officer for Enugu State Sports Council in Nigeria. (paralympic.org, 23 Jun 2021; Facebook profile, 14 Apr 2021)