Nigerian powerlifter wins silver despite setting world record

The incompetence of the Team Nigeria technical crew was brought to the fore on Monday when the country’s 75kg women powerlifter, Folashade Olufemiayo, was short-changed of the gold medal despite setting a new world record at the paralympic event.

The event was won by China’s Fu Taoying, although both had a lift of 146kg. As the plot for supremacy between the Nigerian and her Asian counterpart thickened, the Chinese officials pulled a fast one straight out of the books by having their athlete come out first for the final and third lift when it became clear that Olufemiayo who was scheduled to come out first would win on the final attempt.

Taoaying, with a body weight of 72.53kg, went on to lift 146kg in her final attempt, to set up a near-world record; Olufemiayo stepped out and reproduced the 146kg.

With a lesser body weight, it was clear that once they tied on the final lift, the Chinese athlete would win the gold, and that was what happened at the end of the contest.

Officially, after the three attempts, the competition was over, but the athletes continued with the battle for supremacy and Olufemiayo lifted 148kg in her final attempt to set a new world record, but it did not count.

Speaking after the encounter, bleary eyed Olufemiayo said: “That was my gold medal that was given to the Chinese woman.  And I would want to say that I’m more than disappointed that this could be happening.  I was supposed to come out first for the final lift, but they changed the schedule and made Taoying come out first.

“This is what they did to us yesterday when they conspired against Lucy Ejike. They have done it to me and I am very sad.

“I am the best and everyone saw what I did. I guess the officials had a mindset of who they wanted to win.”

However, an international power-lifting official who pleaded anonymity traced Olufemiayo’s ordeal to the lack of tact on the part of Nigerian officials.

“The Chinese coach knew that her girl didn’t stand a chance and she called out first for an increase in weight of 146kg and that was why she had to come out first,” he said. “If the Nigerian officials were thinking they would have increased the weight of their athlete to 147kg for the final attempt, but they didn’t. However, the attempt on 146kg by the Chinese was not a perfect lift, that is where I disagree with the judges.”

Lucy Ejike also failed to win gold under similar circumstances in the women's 56kg category on Sunday.  That notwithstanding Nigeria’s still tops the power-lifting medal table with  4 gold, 5 silver and one bronze won by veteran Victoria Nneji.

In the overall medals table, Nigeria is in the 10th position. Reacting to the two incidents, Coach Are Ogunfeyisetan hinted at a possible international conspiracy to stop the Nigerian paralympians from winning more gold medals.

“I am not happy at all because it seems the international federation already knows how many gold medals they wanted us to win at the Games, but we have shown here that we are the best,” he said.

Echoing Ogunfeyisetan’s thoughts, the team doctor, Samuel Ogodeminu, said: “The third Chinese’s lift wasn’t good, yet it was allowed. We protested but it was always bound to fail. We are very upset but what can we do?”