Highly-acclaimed Nigerian para-Olympian and multiple gold medalist, Folashade Alice Oluwafemiayo (OON) has highlighted the need for new talents who can take over the baton to be discovered in the country.
Oluwafemiayo, who won gold at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Para-Olympics as well as silver at London 2012, hinted in an exclusive interview with Sports247 that she is already in the process of creating space for younger athletes.
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The highly successful para-powerlifter, who was born in Jos on March 11, 1985 and is married with a child, also expressed delight with what she saw during the 1st West Africa Para-Games in Abeokuta.
“It has never happened in Nigeria that we have such a major competition, but we thank God that this is the beginning of better things for para-sports.
“The competition has been good, and I believe that the next one will be even greater than this one,” Oluwafemiayo enthused.
The fair-skinned athlete, who also won gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games as well as in the 2017, 2019 and 2021 editions of the World Para-Powerlifting Championship, confirmed that she is on the verge of making way for Nigeria’s new talents.
She explained, “As a national athlete, you have to give space for the up and coming ones to also show their talent. You cannot be a champion forever.
“So, we need new discoveries who will replace the old ones. We have a lot of them in para-powerlifting, but they need motivation. Once you are motivated, you will give your best, and those who are out there will love to come in.”
She concluded by charging Nigeria’s sports officials and technical experts of para-games to put in more effort to lift the sector further, expand the events and help physically challenged athletes overcome all limitations.
Oluwafemiayo declared emphatically, “We still have many categories of special sports overseas that are not being done here in Nigeria.
“So, we need people who will introduce those events to us over here. That would help us have more para-athletes in Nigeria.
“We need the states and federal governments to support us fully. We also want the National Sports Commission and Para-Sports Federation to encourage us better, so that we can win more medals for Nigeria.”
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