Folashade Oluwafeniayo breaks world record at World Cup
Nigerian world champion shines on last day of competition in Dubai 22 Feb 2018Folashade Oluwafeniayo shone on the last day of competition at the 9th Fazza 2018 World Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as she broke the world record in the women’s up to 86kg.
Nigeria’s 32-year-old cleared the bar at 146kg, a 1kg increase from the mark she had set last year on her way to gold at the Mexico City 2017 World Championships. She even went for more but failed to lift 149.5kg in her third attempt.
Her next big goal is the 2018 African Championships in Algiers, Algeria, where she will face tough-opposition from Egypt’s 2010 world champion Geehan Hassan, who sealed bronze at the 2017 Worlds.
Jordan’s Rio 2016 silver medallist Tharwh Alhajaj finished second following a 117kg lift.
The women’s up to 73kg event was thrilling. Indonesia’s Nurtani Purba was leading after the second round thanks to a 105kg lift. But she failed to clear the bar at 107kg in her last attempt, while Thailand’s Arawan Bootpo lifted 105kg to win gold due to a lower body weight.
Moldova’s Larisa Marinenkova (86kg) collected bronze.
Mayagozel Ekeyeva gave Turkmenistan the only gold medal of the competition after topping the podium in the women’s up to 79kg with a 108kg lift. She was followed by United Arab Emirates’ Maryam Alzeyoudi (62kg), who sealed the hosts’ last medal at the event.
Jamil Elshebli won the men’s over 107kg to help Jordan reach the top of the medals table alongside Nigeria with four golds. The two-time Paralympic silver medallist lifted 236kg. Iraq’s Faris Al-Ageeli (206kg) and Azerbaijan’s Shamo Aslanov (205kg) completed the podium.
Jordan and Nigeria both finished top of the medals table with four golds. Ukraine won two golds and two silvers to finish in third position. Hosts United Arab Emirates ended fourth with two golds and one bronze.
Complete results of the Fazza World Cup are available on World Para Powerlifting's website.