Team Nigeria delivered an outstanding performance at the just concluded African para powerlifting championship in Oran, Algeria, finishing with an impressive haul of seven gold, three silver and three bronze medals.
The Nigerian contingent earned remarkable results across several weight categories, with the female athletes leading the charge in spectacular fashion.
Nigeria’s gold medal winners included Anifat Ganiyu in the women’s 41kg category, Ajiboye Rukayat in the 50kg division, Ani Chiamaka in the 73kg class, Ferdinard Rita in the 79kg category, Mark Onyinyechi Gift in the 67kg division, Ogundolie Tolulope in the 45kg class, and Nigeria’s para-powerlifting icon, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, who once again demonstrated her supremacy in the women’s +86kg category.
The silver medals came through Esther Nworgu in the women’s 50kg category, Esther Oyema in the 55kg class, and Anigbogu Chikordi Franka in the women’s 61kg division.
On the men’s side, Team Nigeria secured three bronze medals courtesy of Riluwan Idris Sabo in the 88kg category, Dauda Ibrahim Ajibola in the 59kg class, and veteran lifter Roland Ezuruike in the men’s 54kg division.
The performance once again highlighted Nigeria’s growing reputation as a global powerhouse in para-powerlifting and weightlifting competitions, especially in the women’s events where Nigerian athletes have consistently excelled on the international stage.
Leading the team’s remarkable outing was Folashade Oluwafemiayo, one of Nigeria’s most decorated para-athletes, who has continued to dominate world competitions with record-breaking performances. The multiple Paralympic and world champion recently made global headlines after setting another world record lift in Cairo, Egypt, further cementing her legacy as one of the greatest athletes in the history of para-powerlifting.
