Nigeria earned seven medals at the recently concluded 2023 World Para Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai.
Nigeria earned seven medals at the recently concluded 2023 World Para Powerlifting World Championships in Dubai.
Nigeria earned two gold medals from Kafilat Almaruf (71kg) and Onyinyechi Mark (57kg), two silver medals from Bose Omolayo (73kg) and Esther Nworgu (41kg), and three bronze medals from Roland Ezuruike (54kg), Folashade Oluwafemiayo (79kg), and Thomas Kure (65kg).
Kafila Almaruf brought the first gold for Nigeria in the championships with a powerful show that also saw her breaking long-standing world records.
Almaruf won her maiden World Championships championship, lifting 151 kg to shatter France’s Souhad Ghazouani’s record of 150 kilograms set in 2013. Ghazouni won bronze, weighing 131 kg.
Meanwhile, Mark, who won bronze at the Tbilisi 2021 Worlds, appeared to be in better shape than ever as she broke her world record set at the Cairo 2022 African Open Championships at 143 kg not once, but twice, at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City.
Nigeria’s Paralympic, world and Commonwealth Games champion Folashade Oluwafemiayo faltered in her final lift; a world record attempt of 156 kg to settle for 152 kilograms and bronze medal.
I am ready for the challenge ahead – Mark
Focused and determined, the 22-year-old, said she is ready for the challenge ahead after becoming World champion.
The reigning African champion added that she wants to train more to win gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
She said, “I am super excited and happy to get my first World Championships gold, I prepared a lot, trained a lot because I know good work pays off and made sure today, I am here. I am grateful to God and my coach who always supported and motivated me that I can do it.
“I want to train more. The world is looking on me now after this World medal so, I will be training hard and by the grace of God, I want to win the gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.”
