LAGOS£¬ Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Grace Anozie has set a new world record at the Second Asian Powerlifting Cup in Kuala Lumpur£¬ Malaysia£¬ local media reported Tuesday.

Anozie£¬ who competed in the 82kg category£¬ set a record of 167 kg to erase the existing 160 kg record. The event£¬ which also served as the Paralympics qualifiers£¬ also had all members of the Nigerian contingent booking their places at next year's Games in China.

The Nigerian team placed second behind China£¬ the eventual winner of the competition. Ijeoma Aliguegbe also won gold while Patience Igbiti and Victoria Nneji won Silver. Kike Ogunbamowo won bronze while Solomon Amaraku and Lucy Ejike£¬ who had already booked a place before the tourney also won medals.

Speaking to the press Monday at the National Stadium£¬ Anozie said setting a new world record was a dream come true. She stated that she had nursed the ambition of erasing the old world record and was fulfilled after achieving the feat in Kuala Lumpur.

According to her£¬ she had achieved the mark in training prior to the competition and making it at the world stage is heart-warming.

"I must say that I am very happy to have achieved the feat. I have set the target and I must say I am fulfilled to have realized the ambition. I have always done it in Nigeria and it is a relief that I was able to do it at a recognized international competition£¬" she added.

Anozie said the Nigerian powerlifters would have done better if they had better camping programme before the championship. She advised that preparation for the Olympics must start in January if the powerlifting team hoped to do well at the Paralympics.

"Our major rival at the Paralympic Games will be China. They are the No.1 in the world and with what I saw at the tournament£¬ Imust say they are ready£¬" she said.

Ogunbamowo said qualifying for the Paralympics was a happy experience and she would be proud to fly Nigeria's flag once again.

Having been drafted into the team at the last hour£¬ Ogunbamowo said that the powerlifters were up to the task at the Olympics. She said that going to the Paralympics as underdogs would be an advantage for the team.

"Most of us were not at our best because preparation was not up to standard and we got to the qualifiers late£¬ with some of us competing few hours to our arrival in Kuala Lumpur. I believe that we can still do better at the Olympics. For me£¬ the bronze medal will definitely spur me on£¬" she added.

Coach John Oguntoye£¬ who took the team to the event£¬ said he was impressed with the athletes' performance considering that they got to the venue late. He expressed confidence that his athletes would do better at the Paralympics if adequately prepared.