Nigeria Content Online

Nigeria’s hopes of
finishing as the best African team at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in
New Delhi India is gradually fading as the country’s athletes continue
to falter in their respective events.

Yesterday, the
country’s boxers were outclassed by their opponents as they tried to
advance at the Commonwealth Games, which enters its fourth day today.

Competing in the
60kg lightweight division, Sogbamu Waheed was pummelled in the
preliminary round of the boxing event as he lost 11-1 to his Pakistani
opponent, Khan Nawaz.

It was the same for
his compatriot Ademuyi Kehinde who lost 7-2 to his opponent in the 69kg
category. Both boxers had earlier been tipped to win medals before
departing for the games.

Their performance
came a day after their counterpart, Ganiu Muyideen, lost to his
opponent and blamed his coach for failing to give him the right
instructions.

Also in the team
event for table tennis, the country’s female team made up of Atinuke
Olaide, Edem Offiong, Effiom Janet and Ogundele Ganiat was ousted by
Singapore; losing 3-0 in the quarter finals of the event.

The woes continued
in the weightlifting event as Eze Ndidi failed to replicate the feat of
her other colleagues, who had won a gold and silver medal, as she
finished bottom of the pack in the women’s 58kg finals. The category
was won by Renu Yumnam of India.

Belly trouble

Meanwhile, two of
England’s top women swimmers on Wednesday complained of stomach
problems, while Australia’s Andrew Lauterstein was forced to pull out
of the men’s 50m butterfly final due to a stomach complaint.

Rebecca Adlington
and Fran Halsall both wrote on the micro-blogging site Twitter that
they were suffering from “Delhi belly”, which was affecting their
performances.

“Delhi belly please
go away,” wrote double Olympic champion and 800m freestyle world record
holder Adlington on Wednesday morning.

She later won
bronze in the women’s 4x200m freestyle, her second medal of the Games
after a third-place finish in the 200m freestyle.

But the strain was clearly taking its toll as she prepared for the 800m free final on Thursday.

Also in swimming,
Australia’s Matthew Cowdrey broke his own 50 metres world record with a
winning time of 25.33 which beat his 2008 mark of 25.34, set at the
Beijing Paralympics, by the slimmest of margins.

He also smashed his Games record of 25.66 set during qualifying this year.

England’s Simon Miller finished second in 26.70, while India’s Prasanta Karmakar took third in 27.48.

In women’s hockey,
India’s miserable run continued on Wednesday, with the team losing 2-1
to defending champions Australia at the Major Dhyan Chand National
Stadium.

After splitting
points with Scotland in their opening Pool A match on Monday, much was
expected from India, silver medalists at the last Games, against the
young Australian side, but they failed to live up to expectations
before a moderate crowd.

The defeat put India in a tight position for a semi final berth.
They now need to win their remaining matches against Trinidad and
Tobago and South Africa by big margins to stay in contention.