Josephine Orji

{{short description|Nigerian Paralympic powerlifter (born 1979)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Josephine Precious Orji | nickname = Precious | image = Precious Orji *Nwankwocha*.jpg | caption = Orji with her world record gold medal for Nigeria | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1979|04|08}} | birth_place = | height = | weight = {{convert|134|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Women's Weightlifting}} {{MedalCountry|{{NGA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Paralympics Games}} {{MedalGold|Rio 2016|Women's +86 kg}} | show-medals = Yes | module = }}

'''Josephine Precious Orji'''{{Audio|LL-Q1860 (eng)-Chikeme Chizurum-Josephine Precious Orji.wav|Listen|help=no}} (born 8 April 1979) is a Nigerian professional powerlifter. On 14 September 2016, she won gold in the women's +86kg category at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Brazil before she went on to set a new world and Games record by lifting {{cvt|160|kg}} at the same event.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/paralympic-josephine-orji-breaks-new-records-wins-gold/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Paralympic: Josephine Orji breaks new records, wins gold|date=14 September 2016|access-date=18 September 2016|newspaper=Vanguard}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/09/15/nigerias-josephine-orji-shatters-world-record-at-rio-paralympics/|title=Nigeria's Josephine Orji Shatters World Record at Rio Paralympics|author=Duro Ikhazuagbe|date=15 September 2016|access-date=18 September 2016|newspaper=This Day}}</ref>

== Career == Josephine developed a passion for powerlifting in 2001 after visiting a gym in Owerri and trying out the sport for the first time. Afterwards, she quit her job as a computer expert in a cyber café and commenced her training to develop a career in sport as a powerlifter.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Orji on the highs and lows of a Paralympic champion|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/53905044|access-date=2020-10-13}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orji, Josephine}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Category:Nigerian female weightlifters Category:Igbo sportspeople Category:Paralympic medalists in powerlifting Category:Paralympic gold medalists for Nigeria Category:Powerlifters at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Category:Paralympic powerlifters for Nigeria Category:Nigerian female powerlifters Category:21st-century Nigerian sportswomen