The President of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Ibrahim Abdul Aladi, has congratulated Rafiatu Folashade Lawal for her historic performance at the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway, where she won three silver medals in the women’s 58kg category, becoming the first Nigerian ever to achieve such a feat on the world stage.
Lawal lifted 101kg in the snatch, 128kg in the clean and jerk, and finished with a total of 229kg, placing second behind Kim Il-Gyong of North Korea, who claimed three gold medals with a world record total of 236kg. Olympic champion Kuo Hsing-chun of Chinese Taipei took two bronze medals with a total lift of 224kg, while Ulrey Miranda Eleanor of the United States earned the remaining bronze in the snatch with 98kg.
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Lawal’s outstanding achievement adds to her illustrious career, having previously won gold medals at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the 2023 African Games in Accra.
Reacting to the milestone, President Aladi expressed immense pride and joy, describing Lawal’s success as a reflection of her hard work, discipline, and relentless pursuit of excellence.
“Rafiatu has once again proven that Nigerian weightlifters can stand tall on the world stage. She has immersed herself in serious training and preparation to ensure she delivered a performance that makes the nation proud. Her achievement in Norway is a result of resilience, focus, and commitment to greatness,” said Aladi.
The NWF President also commended the National Sports Commission and the NWF Board Members for their continued support toward the growth of weightlifting in Nigeria.
“We are committed to ensuring that our athletes continue to participate in international competitions to stay competitive and maintain Nigeria’s strong presence in global weightlifting,” he added.
Lawal’s triumph surpasses the previous record set by Ruth Imoleayo Ayodele, who won two silver and one bronze medal at the 2023 IWF World Championships in Saudi Arabia. Competing in the women’s 64kg category, Ayodele lifted 100kg in the snatch, 122kg in the clean and jerk, and 222kg in total — a record now broken by Lawal’s 229kg performance.
Aladi further appealed to corporate bodies and private organizations to support the Federation’s initiatives, emphasizing that adequate funding is crucial to sustain recent successes and prepare athletes for future events, including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.
“We appeal to the private sector to partner with us in ensuring that our lifters continue to represent Nigeria proudly. With adequate support, we can produce more world champions like Rafiatu Lawal,” Aladi concluded.
