Team Nigeria closed out with fireworks. The contingent finished with three gold and three silver medals, and the headline moment came from captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo, who broke her own world record twice in one evening to seal gold for the country.
The heroics came on the final day of competition at the Paralympic Games, where Nigeria’s para-powerlifting team once again proved why the country is regarded as a global powerhouse in the sport.
Oluwafemiayo Rewrites History In Tokyo
It was August 30, 2021, at the Tokyo International Forum, and all eyes were on the women’s up-to-86 kg category. Oluwafemiayo had already secured gold with a third lift of 151kg, but she was not done.
The 36-year-old Plateau-born lifter called for a fourth “power lift” and pressed 152kg, shattering her own world record set earlier that year at the Manchester World Cup. She had earlier broken the mark twice on the same day, first with 151kg and then with 152kg. I feel very, very great,” Oluwafemiayo said after the lift. “I thank God, because it was God all this way, not by my own power, but by the power of God. He was giving me grace”.
The victory gave Nigeria its third gold of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. China’s Zheng Feifei took silver with 139kg, while Great Britain’s Louise Sugden won bronze with 131kg. The performance capped a remarkable year for Oluwafemiayo, who had already broken the world record three times in 2021. It also added to a career that began with silver at London 2012.
A Golden And Silver Finish For Team Nigeria
Oluwafemiayo’s lift was not the only Nigerian joy that day. Earlier in the session, Loveline Obiji won Nigeria’s first silver of the Games in the women’s +86kg category with a lift of 147kg. China’s Deng Xuemei took gold with 153kg, while Poland’s Marzena Zieba claimed bronze.
Those two medals pushed Nigeria’s tally to three gold, one silver and two bronze by Day 8, placing the country 21st on the medals table at the time. The three golds came from the powerlifting team, which has long been Nigeria’s strongest Paralympic sport. The silvers and bronzes were spread across powerlifting and athletics, showing the depth that has made Nigeria a consistent medal winner at the Games.
From Tokyo To Paris: The Record Keeps Falling
Oluwafemiayo did not stop in Tokyo. At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, the 39-year-old returned as Team Nigeria’s captain and delivered again on the final day.
She won gold in the women’s over 86kg category and once more broke world records, this time lifting 167kg. She first set a Games record of 162kg, breaking Josephine Orji’s previous mark, before improving it to 167kg to surpass her own previous best.
The feat made her a two-time Paralympic champion and secured Nigeria’s second gold in Paris. China’s Xuemei Deng took silver with 155kg, and Egypt’s Nadia Ali won bronze with 145kg.
Her performance was part of a strong showing in Paris where Nigeria finished with two gold, three silver and two bronze medals. Other medalists included Onyinyechi Mark, who won gold in powerlifting with a record-breaking 147kg lift;t, Esther Nworgu, who took silver in the 41kg and set two Paralympic records; Flora Ugwunwa, who won silver in javelin F5; Bose Omolayo, who added silver in 79kg powerlifting; and Eniola Bolaji, who made history as the first African to win a Paralympic or Olympic badminton medal with bronze.
Why Nigeria Dominates Para Powerlifting
Nigeria’s success in para powerlifting is not accidental. The country has built a reputation for producing athletes with extraordinary strength, discipline, and resilience.
At the 2024 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Cairo, Team Nigeria finished second overall with 20 medals, eight gold, seven silver and five bronze, behind only China. Oluwafemiayo was again the star, lifting 168kg in the over 86kg category to break her Paris record and claim a fourth world title.
Sports officials have credited the athletes’ dedication and the support system around them. “Our para athletes have once again proven that Nigeria remains a powerhouse in para powerlifting,” said the Director General of the National Sports Commission.
Pride, Grace And A Message
Beyond the medals, Oluwafemiayo’s story resonates because of how she carries it. After her Tokyo win, she threw herself to the floor in relief and dedicated the victory to God and to Nigeria. She also used the moment to speak for athletes with disabilities, thanking Nigerians for their support and urging the government to look into the welfare of special athletes.
For Team Nigeria, the three gold and three silver haul, headlined by Oluwafemiayo’s double world record, was more than numbers. It was proof that even in tough times, Nigerian athletes can still lift the nation’s flag high, sometimes literally.
From Tokyo 2020 to Paris 2024, one thing is clear: when Folashade Oluwafemiayo steps to the bar, records fall, and Nigeria rises.
