Folasade Oluwafemiayo Breaks World Record, Wins Powerlifting Gold

Folasade Oluwafemiayo increased Team Nigeria’s medals at the ongoing 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo on Monday by winning the gold medal in the women’s -86kg event of the powerlifting competition.

The 36-year-old won the event with a bang by setting a new world record, as well as a Paralympic record with a lift of 152kg.

The silver medalist in the women’s 75kg event at the 2012 Games lifted 147kg in her first attempt, and 149kg in the second attempt.

She went on to take a lead with a 151kg lift in her third attempt, leaving her opponents bewildered as she went on to lift 152kg in the final attempt.

Oluwafemiayo was way ahead of the pack which had China’s Zheng Feifei winning the silver with a lift of 139kg.

Great Britain’s Louise Sugden won the bronze medal with a lift of 131kg.

Oluwafemiayo’s feat took Nigeria to 21st on the medals table, with a total haul of three gold, one silver and two bronze.

Earlier in the day, Loveline Obiji had won a silver medal for Team Nigeria in the women’s +86kg event.