Nigerian Weightlifter Makes History with Triple Silver at World Championships
Rafiatu Folashade Lawal has written her name into Nigerian sports history by securing three silver medals at the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway, becoming the first Nigerian athlete to achieve this remarkable feat in global weightlifting competition.
Competing in the women’s 58kg category, Lawal demonstrated exceptional strength and technique, lifting 101kg in the snatch and 128kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 229kg. Her performance placed her behind North Korea’s Kim Il-Gyong, who set a world record with 236kg, while Olympic champion Kuo Hsing-chun of Chinese Taipei claimed bronze with 224kg. American lifter Ulrey Eleanor secured the remaining bronze medal in the snatch division with a 98kg lift.
This achievement adds to Lawal’s impressive collection of international medals, including gold medals from the 2019 African Games in Rabat, the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the 2023 African Games in Accra.
Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) President Ibrahim Aladi celebrated Lawal’s accomplishment, stating on Sunday, “Rafiatu has once again proven that Nigerian weightlifters can stand tall on the world stage.” He emphasized her dedication, resilience, and commitment to excellence while acknowledging the support from the National Sports Commission and NWF Board Members.
Lawal’s performance surpassed the previous Nigerian record set by Ruth Imoleayo Ayodele, who won two silver and one bronze medal in the women’s 64kg category at the 2023 IWF World Championships in Saudi Arabia. Ayodele’s total of 222kg has now been eclipsed by Lawal’s 229kg.
Looking ahead, the NWF president called for increased private sector involvement and corporate support to maintain Nigeria’s competitive edge in international weightlifting. “With adequate support, we can produce more world champions like Rafiatu Lawal,” Aladi emphasized, highlighting the federation’s commitment to athlete development and international competition participation.
