Coach Lawrence Iquaibom, a retired Director of Sports in the Akwa Ibom state Ministry of Youth and Sports, has been invited as a WeightliftingTechnical Official (WTO) for the upcoming Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022 where he will be serving as Category One Referee in the sport of Weightlifting.
Iquaibom, an Olympian and gold medalist at the Commonwealth Championship Malta 1983, will be making his fifth appearance at the Games – two appearances as an Athlete, three as a WTO.
“Following your nomination by International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) and approval by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), the B2022 Organizing Committee is delighted to confirm your selection as a Weightlifting Technical Official at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games”, an invitation letter jointly signed by the Director of Sports, Matt Kidson and Head of Sport Competition for the Games, Natalie Cunningham, reads.
In a related development, Akwa Ibom’s record-breaking teenage weightlifter, Edidiong Umofia, who holds Nigeria’s national record for his category has been selected as one of Nigeria’s representatives at the Games.
The Ibiono-Ibom-born athlete who is already in the country’s national camp will be competing in the men’s 67kg category of weightlifting when proceedings get underway in Birmingham.
Other Akwa Ibom indigenes who will be participating at the quadrennial event include US-based teenage queen of the tracks, Imaobong Nse Uko, a product of the first edition of Akwa Ibom state Sports Festival, who will be representing Nigeria in the 400m sprint event and 4 x 400m relay
Others are Abasiono Uwemedimo Akpan – 400m hurdles and Ruth Usoro – Triple Jump/Long Jump.
The Commonwealth Games, which is held every four years, is an international multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations with this year’s event scheduled for the city of Birmingham from July 28 to August 8.
