Now based in Lagos, Oluwafemiayo trains at the National Stadium Power Gym alongside some of Nigeria’s other elite powerlifters, such as two-time Paralympic champion Bose Omolayo.
“For me to get to the stadium is very difficult,” Oluwafemiayo explained. “I wake up by three in the morning.
“I have to take two bikes before getting to where I will take the vehicle that will take me to stadium.”
This dedication – and success that has followed – inspires her two young boys.
“My second boy will say, ‘Mummy, is this how you do your weight?’
“Sometimes, if I’m doing exercise at home, they will join me. They inspire me.”
While the boys might be budding powerlifters, the family already contains a second Paralympic star.
Oluwafemiayo’s husband Tolu-Lope Taiwo, also a wheelchair user, competed at both the 2012 and 2016 Games.
She describes him as another “source of inspiration” and her “backbone”.
“She impresses and inspires me,” Taiwo told BBC Sport Africa. “I am always proud of her and I boast that she is my wife.
“I always encourage her because at times when she lifts the weights and is discouraged, I always tell her ‘You can do it’.”
With powerlifting already a family affair, Oluwafemiayo is hoping to inspire the next generation so that Nigeria can retain its strong tradition in the sport.
“I want to make Africa proud,” the three-time world champion said. “Nigeria proud, myself, family and my federation.
“This won’t be my last Paralympic Games. I’m still training for more and I’m targeting for more world records.”
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Source link : https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cz6xe1q101do
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Publish date : 2024-09-02 17:28:03
