No fewer than 12 athletes have surpassed world records in their respective categories at the Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Open National Trials held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The three-day event, organised by the Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation, featured over 60 athletes from across the country and opened with a random anti-doping screening conducted by the Nigeria Anti-Doping Committee to ensure fair play.
Delta State’s Folashade Oluwafemiayo led the charge by setting a new world record with a best lift of 160kg in the +86kg women’s category, smashing the previous best standard of 130kg.
Tolulope Ogundolie of Edo lifted 110kg in the 45kg female class, while Christiana Adetolu of Ekiti, who finished second, also surpassed the world standard with a 100kg lift.
Other record-breaking performances included Rukayat Ajiboye of Delta, who lifted 122kg in the 50kg category, Ifeoluwa Alake of Lagos, who recorded 126kg in the 61kg class, Toyosi Osewa of Oyo with 115kg in the 45kg category despite finishing second, and Mark Onyinyechi of Abia, who lifted 145kg in the 67kg class. Chiamaka Ani and Lucy Ejike, both from Enugu, posted 132kg and 130kg, respectively, in the 73kg category, while Rita Ferdinand of Oyo lifted 151kg in the 79kg class, and Thomas Kure of Delta posted 207kg in the 80kg male category. Anifat Ganiyu of Osun lifted 97kg in the 41kg category, Mufutau Rasaq of Osun secured 190kg in the 65kg male category, and Esther Oyema of Edo lifted 127kg in the 55kg female class.
Several other athletes posted impressive performances, though without surpassing existing records. Blessing Ibe of Rivers lifted 125kg in the 86kg category, Daniel Omogbai of Edo topped the 107kg male class with 190kg, and Yakubu Adesokan of Oyo won the 49kg category with a 152kg lift. Roland Ezuruike of Delta and Blessing Kayode of Edo tied in the 54kg male category with lifts of 165kg and 177kg respectively, while Taiwo Akingbade of Oyo lifted 155kg in the 72kg male class. Idris Rilwanu of Rivers posted 200kg in the 88kg male category, and Taiwo Tolulope of Edo lifted 160kg to win the 97kg male class.
Technical Director of the Federation, Ruel Ishaku, noted that sustained training and regular camping were critical to keeping athletes in top form.
“We need more camping to make them continue to train because the more they train, the more chances of producing better results that will surpass the world’s best standard records,” he said.
Ishaku added that even those who didn’t beat world records still recorded strong performances worthy of podium finishes in international competitions.
(NAN)