Team Nigeria finished in second place at the 2025 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Cairo, with a total of 11 medals, www.aclsports.com reports.
Three gold, four silver, and four bronze medals capped a strong showing for Nigeria at the historic event, the first-ever World Para Powerlifting Championships to be held in Africa.
World champion Folashade Oluwafemiayo struck gold and set a new world record in the women’s up to 86kg category, while Rita Ferdinand and Esther Oyema also clinched gold medals to complete Nigeria’s impressive haul.
The championship drew 537 athletes representing 70 nations, among them reigning Paralympic champions from Paris 2024, and officially launched the qualification journey to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
China dominated the Championships, finishing top of the table with 15 medals, including 10 golds. Nigeria placed second, while hosts Egypt claimed seven medals (2 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze) to secure third place. Iran finished fourth with six medals (2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze), and Brazil completed the top five with six medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze).
It was China’s fifth consecutive and sixth overall, title as the sport’s leading nation. The next World Para Powerlifting Championships will take place in Manama, Bahrain, in December 2026, marking the first time the event will be staged in three successive years.
