Posted by Samuel on Fri 04th Oct, 2024 - tori.ng
Last month in Paris, the three-time world champion broke her existing mark in the over 86kg category, becoming the first female para-athlete in history to lift 166kg. After securing the gold medal, she returned to lift 167kg and improve her world record.
Nigeria’s para-powerlifting star, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, has shared the secrets behind her record-breaking performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. She noted that, in addition to years of perseverance and endurance, her frequent consumption of pounded yam has played a key role in boosting her energy for achieving podium finishes.
Last month in Paris, the three-time world champion broke her existing mark in the over 86kg category, becoming the first female para-athlete in history to lift 166kg. After securing the gold medal, she returned to lift 167kg and improve her world record.
“I am so happy and felt very great for breaking the record and I’m still hoping to set new ones; it was an amazing thing to have done that for my country,” Folashade who will be 40 next March in 2025,told NationSport. “I was super excited because competing among the best in the world was not easy not to talk of winning and breaking records, it was a great moment for me.”
Though fate took her to power-lifting as a way of life, the Ondo State native would be the first to admit that her puritanical devotion has enhanced her status as a celebrated power-lifter.
She continued her grass to grace story: “To be candid ,it was not easy out there (before I became a power lifter). After my secondary education at Zawan Comprehensive College in Jos, Plateau State, I decided to look for job but was denied due to my disability. I faced discrimination because of my disability but it was my uncle (Mr. Dayo) who informed me there was a sport for special people like me but I was like, what sport someone like be involved with?
“Not until I met John Oguntoye who was into para-lifting; he told me there is a sport I can do. He told me to come to Rwang Pam Township Stadium in Jos on a particular Monday where I first trained and saw many other people with disabilities at the gym.
“I started para lifting in 1999 and I lifted 80kg and then went to Bauchi in 2000.
“My first National Sport Festival was in Edo State 2002 where I won a silver medal, and ever since I’ve been winning gold medals for Plateau State. “
As they say, beginning is half done and Folashade, the para-lifting upstart of yesterday has indeed become a global icon of the sport in spite of her physical challenges.
She won her second Paralympic gold medal in the 86kg cadre at Paris 2024 following her previous feat at the delayed Tokyo 2020 event in 2021. She was a silver medallist in the 1975kg event at the London 2012 Paralympics.
Aside her superlative performances at the paralympics, she has shone brightly like the neon light in the dark at the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games as well .
She successively won the gold medal of the 86kg events at the World Championships in 2017 (Mexico);2019 (Nur-Sultan) and 2021 (Tbilisi). She was also the gold medal winner in the heavyweight category at the last 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
“I’ll say if you have passion for something, you’ll go for it,” she said with some philosophical hues after her gold medal finish in Paris. “ It was the passion and determination that has seen me through.
“First and foremost, I am happy doing what i am doing, so that is an advantage for me. This, coupled with training hard is another important factor and one needs not to relent efforts in order to remain at the top so that other countries won’t beat the record.
“Of course, athletes from other countries are not sleeping ,so I have to continuously be at my best,” she added.
Though powerlifters are often encouraged to consume about 4-8 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day by focusing on complex carbs like whole grains, vegetables, fruits and moderate fat intake, Folashade explained her love for pounded yam has greatly enhanced her capacity.
“I love pounded yam and eat it at least thrice in a week,” she said. “I eat twice a day, morning and evening.
“Don’t forget, I am from Ondo state and I will say without hesitation that I derived my energy from eating pounded yam(laughter,).
“Eating pounded yam serves as energy booster for me. I love it so much,” she surmised.
For Folashade, being a para-power lifter has equally been rewarding outside the gym, and she readily admitted that being in the sport has helped her achieved much against all odds.
“Para-lifting sport has kept me till this time and that is where I make money to feed myself and family,” explained Folashade who is married to another Paralympic athlete, Tolulope Owolabi, with who they have kids. “It has really brought me glory in all aspects because without the sport , nobody have known me and I might not have become what I am today
“I give all glory to Almighty God for His blessings in my life.”
Away from the gym, Folashade has equally extended her frontiers with education yet her focus is achieving more as a para-athlete: “I earned a diploma in computer after secondary school but I’m not into other jobs because of my trainings.
“All I do is sports because I have to train and keep fit all the time. I still want to create more records as long as I am still competing.
“ It will be difficult to achieve all of that if I am working and competing but for now, I am into full sporting activities.
“I’m hoping to further my education in nursing and hope to become referee in powerlifting in the nearest future. Yes, surely as I can’t be an athlete forever. I will go for referee course later when I’m ready to retire.”
In a world where the physically-challenged a re look down by the uninitiated, Folashade reckoned that such misconception is wrong, affirming that there is indeed abilities in disabilities.
“I’ll say there is ability in disability,” she noted matter-of-factly.“ I’ll advice people not to look down on us, we need your love and encouragement. Moving closer to us will make you realize we are very cool and pleasant people unless we feel cheated.
“I would love the government to invest in us in order to improve in our sports. Also, government should liaise with private companies to endorse us and there should be monthly allowance from the sports ministry as grants and this will help us a lot.
“ There are many opportunities out there for us but we are lacking behind due to financial issues but with government supports ,many of us will be encouraged to doing more.”
Yet despite being honoured recently with other paralympics athletes that finished on the podium at Paris 2024, Folashade still have some sentiments bothering on the welfare of the physically challenge athletes should she has the opportunity of a face-to-face encounter with the sports-loving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“What will be my request If by any chance I run into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?” she asked rhetorically .“He (Mr. President) should empower us as special athletes making the country proud at any major international competitions .
“We need to be encouraged. The government should establish us by providing standard sporting facilities for the special people. We have talents but lacking behind in terms of facilities. The facilities we see outside the country are intimidating but for our determination to making the country proud, we don’t allow it to overwhelm us.
“We are naturally gifted, so government should focus on the provision a befitting and well equipped gym for us.
“For instance, the gym provided for us at national stadium in Surulere, Lagos , is always flooded when it rains which makes training impossible and also other sporting equipment needs urgent replacements,” she added.