Nigeria’s Folashade Oluwafemiayo has once again made history, setting a new world record and winning gold at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Cairo.

The 40-year-old lifted 168 kg in the women’s over 86 kg category, surpassing her previous record of 167 kg set at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The remarkable lift earned Oluwafemiayo her fourth world title, reaffirming her dominance in global para powerlifting. China’s Cui Zhe took silver, while Iran’s Nikoo Roozbahani claimed bronze.

Competing in her fifth World Championships, Oluwafemiayo’s gold in Cairo adds to her previous victories in Mexico City (2017), Nur-Sultan (2019), and Tbilisi (2021). Her latest triumph also marks a historic moment as the first time the World Para Powerlifting Championships have been hosted in Africa.

The event, which ran from October 9 to 18, featured both Rookie & Next Gen competitions alongside the elite championship events.

Oluwafemiayo’s career has been a story of resilience. She began competing in 2010 and won silver at the London 2012 Paralympics — while pregnant. Though she faced a two-year suspension in 2013 for a doping violation and later paused her career due to pregnancy before Rio 2016, she returned stronger.

She captured gold at the 2017 World Championships with a record lift, defended her title in 2019, and won her first Paralympic gold at Tokyo 2020. After a brief setback in Dubai 2023, she moved to the over 86 kg category, where she reclaimed global dominance with her record-breaking performance in Cairo.