Nigeria’s medal haul at the ongoing Commonwealth games in Birmingham, UK, keeps increasing as Folashade Oluwafemiayo broke another record on Thursday after she won gold medal in heavyweight powerlifting.
Oluwafemiayo lifted a series of 130kg, 150kg and 55kg to score a cumulative 123.4 points, to win yet another gold medal for Nigeria.
While compatriot, Bose Omolayo finished second behind Oluwafemi after lifting 145kg and scored 115.2 points. The bronze medal went to Hani Watson from Australia.
Folashade Oluwafemiayo making it look easy!
Nigerian 🇳🇬 athlete set a new world record in her third attempt at the Manchester World Cup.
⏪ WATCH it one more time!#Manchester2021 #WorldCup #ParaPowerlifting @Paralympics pic.twitter.com/82G7th5I54
— #ParaPowerlifting (@Powerlifting) March 28, 2021
Team Nigeria now has four gold, two silver and five bronze medals and now move up to ninth position in the medal standings.
In 2012, Oluwafemiayo won silver medal in the women’s 75kg category at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, breaking the world record in the process. She also won gold medal at the 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Mexico. However, she was suspended a year later for breaking anti-doping laws.
In 2021, she won the gold medal in her event at the 2021 World Para Powerlifting Championships held in Tbilisi, Georgia. At this event, she also set a new world record of 152.5 kg.
The 37-year-old was born in Jos, and is married to a male paralympic, with whom she has a child.
Ikechukwu Obichukwu also won silver in men’s powerlifting event later on Thursday night to take Nigeria eight on the Commonwealth medals table with 5 golds, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals.
Innocent Nnamdi also took bronze medal in the men’s Lightweight category with a lift of 190kg.
His compatriot, Thomas Kure finished in fourth position.
Team Nigeria have now won four medals from three Powerlifting events.
