Niyoyita beat odds to win silver at All Africa Games 

ACCRA – At the podium, a weightlifter’s heaviest test is when an opponent loads a heavier target to upstage the competing rivals.

It creates hesitation on the bar, mental panic sets in, and muscles eventually buckle in. Such was the feeling that Uganda’s Davis Niyoyita, who weighs 55kg had, when his opponent from Nigeria, King Kalu lifted 115kg, before giving a shot at lifting 120kg.

While Kalu failed to lift that weight, Niyoyita did not fare any better with a no-lift. However, on his second attempt, Niyoyita, 19, recalled marching to the podium thinking: “I have lost so much because of this sport. There is no room for failure”.

Niyoyita then mustered impeccable composure, and steadily cleaned from the knee up and jerked to a successful lift, which the Nigerian failed.

This resulted in Niyoyita picking up a silver medal while Eric Andriantsitohaina from Madagascar took gold. At this moment, nothing seemed to matter anymore to Niyoyita, after he finally triumphed over the odds he has faced in his life on March 11 in Accra, Ghana at the All Africa Games.

Niyoyita was back in school at Kakungulu Memorial, Kibuli on Monday, March 18 at a time when one would have expected that he takes a breather to celebrate his recent feat.

But Niyoyita knows so well the value of school. As a senior four student, Niyoyita said: “I have to lay a cushion for myself because I know weight-lifting is not forever. Education provides a fall-back position for me.”

Nonetheless, Niyoyita recognizes how weight-lifting has propelled him to the continental scale. He recalls how in 2016 he almost lost his scholarship from a certain non-governmental organization (NGO), who compelled him to write a commitment letter vowing never to get anywhere close to weightlifting.

For seven years, Niyoyita was not talking to his father because of his involvement with weight-lifting. But the two have now mended fences. One can bet that following Niyoyita’s success in Ghana, his family (siblings) will not be more proud.

DISCIPLINE AND DETERMINATION

Now focus turns to the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, running from March 31 to April 11, which is an Olympics qualifier. Niyoyita is so keen about his diet and making sure he trains well.

This is premised on a previous experience, when he ate something at the Games village which caused him a rash on the body, affecting his performance.

Niyoyita is not a heavy eater, and will normally pick fish, chicken, and a little rice or bread. He ingests more greens to rehydrate body and reduce sickness, he admitted. Success in sport requires the utmost of discipline and determination according to Niyoyita.

That is why, even though he has not been exposed to the best of training facilities, overtime he has made do with the Kisugu Unified Gym and Kasubi Physique. His other challenge is the fact that most gyms here are for bodybuilding as to weightlifting.

So, when he gets a chance at the gym, he pushes his body beyond limits, which he jokingly refers to as: Paka kuwulira bubi (until his body starts hurting).

With the 2024 Olympics Niyoyita’s dream, a realization of a berth in Paris will be a fulfillment of a prophecy made to his mother by a pastor during some of their hardest times at home.

Apparently, he would travel the world and make a mark. Already, Niyoyita is the current record holder in the Africa Youth Men 55kg Clean and Jerk on 125kg that earned him an Olympic scholarship.