Pounded Yam Is My Energy Booster - Nigerian Para-Lifting Champion, Oluwafemiayo Says

Nigeria’s para-powerlifting star, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, has shared the secrets behind her record-breaking performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. She noted that, in addition to years of perseverance and endurance, her frequent consumption of pounded yam has played a key role in boosting her energy for achieving podium finishes.

Last month in Paris, the three-time world champion broke her existing mark in the over 86kg category, becoming the first female para-athlete in history to lift 166kg. After  securing the gold medal,  she returned to lift 167kg and improve her world record.

 “I am so happy and felt very great for breaking the record and I’m  still hoping to set new ones; it was an amazing thing to have done  that for my country,” Folashade  who will be 40 next March in 2025,told NationSport. “I was super excited because competing among  the best in the world was not easy not to talk of winning and breaking records, it was a great moment for me.”

Though  fate  took her  to power-lifting as a way of life, the Ondo State native would  be  the first to  admit that her puritanical  devotion   has enhanced  her  status  as a celebrated power-lifter.   

She continued  her  grass to grace story: “To be candid ,it was not easy out there (before I became a power lifter). After my secondary education at Zawan Comprehensive  College in Jos,  Plateau State, I decided to look for job but was denied due to my disability. I faced discrimination because of my  disability  but it was my uncle (Mr. Dayo) who informed me there was a sport for special people like me but I was like, what sport someone like be involved with?

“Not until  I met John Oguntoye who was into para-lifting; he  told me  there is a sport I can do. He told me to come to Rwang Pam Township Stadium  in Jos  on  a particular Monday where I first trained and  saw many other people with disabilities at the  gym.

 “I started para lifting  in 1999  and  I lifted 80kg and then went to Bauchi in 2000.

“My first National Sport Festival  was in Edo State 2002 where I won a silver medal, and ever since I’ve been winning gold medals for Plateau State. “

As they say, beginning is half done  and  Folashade, the para-lifting upstart of yesterday  has indeed  become a global icon of the sport  in spite of her physical challenges.

She  won her second Paralympic gold medal  in the 86kg cadre at Paris 2024 following  her previous feat at the delayed Tokyo 2020 event in 2021.  She was  a silver medallist in the 1975kg event at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Aside  her superlative performances at the paralympics, she has shone brightly like the neon light in the dark at the World Championships and the  Commonwealth Games  as well .

She  successively won the gold medal  of the  86kg events  at the World Championships in 2017 (Mexico);2019 (Nur-Sultan) and 2021 (Tbilisi).  She was also the gold medal winner in the heavyweight category   at the last 2022 Commonwealth  Games in Birmingham.

“I’ll say if you have passion for something, you’ll go for it,” she said with some philosophical hues after  her gold medal finish in Paris. “ It was the passion and determination  that  has  seen  me through.

“First and foremost,   I am happy doing what i am doing, so that is an advantage for me. This, coupled with training hard  is another important factor and  one needs not  to relent  efforts in order to remain at the top so that other countries won’t beat the record.

“Of course, athletes from other countries are not sleeping ,so I  have to continuously be at my best,” she added.

Though powerlifters  are often encouraged  to  consume about  4-8 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day by  focusing on complex carbs like whole grains, vegetables, fruits and moderate fat intake, Folashade  explained her love  for pounded  yam  has greatly  enhanced her capacity.

 “I love pounded yam and eat it at least thrice in a week,” she said. “I eat twice a day, morning and evening.

“Don’t forget, I am from Ondo state and I will say without hesitation  that I derived my energy from eating pounded yam(laughter,).

“Eating pounded yam serves as energy booster for me. I love it so much,” she surmised.

For Folashade, being a para-power lifter  has equally been  rewarding  outside  the gym, and she readily  admitted  that  being in the sport has  helped her  achieved  much against all odds.

“Para-lifting sport has kept me  till this time  and that is where I make money to feed myself and family,”  explained Folashade who is married to another Paralympic athlete, Tolulope Owolabi, with who they have kids. “It has really brought me glory in all aspects because without the sport , nobody have known me and I might not have become what I am today

 “I give all glory to Almighty God for His blessings in my life.”

Away  from the gym, Folashade has equally  extended her frontiers  with education yet her  focus is  achieving more as a para-athlete: “I earned a diploma in computer after secondary school but I’m not into other jobs because of my trainings.

“All I do is sports because I have to train and keep fit all the time. I still want to create more records as long as I am still competing.

“ It will be difficult to achieve all of that if I am working and competing but for now, I am into full sporting activities.

“I’m hoping to further my education in nursing and hope to become  referee in powerlifting in the nearest  future. Yes, surely as I can’t be an athlete forever. I will go for referee course later when I’m ready to retire.”

In a world  where the physically-challenged a re look down  by the uninitiated, Folashade  reckoned  that  such misconception is wrong, affirming  that there is indeed abilities in disabilities.

“I’ll say there is ability in disability,” she noted matter-of-factly.“ I’ll advice people not to look down on us, we need your love and encouragement. Moving closer to us will make you realize we are very cool and pleasant people unless we feel cheated.

“I would love the government to invest in us in order to improve in our sports. Also, government should liaise with private companies to endorse us and there should be monthly allowance from the sports ministry as grants and this will help us a lot.

“ There are many opportunities out there  for us but we are  lacking behind due to financial issues but with government supports ,many of us will be encouraged to doing more.”

Yet despite  being honoured  recently  with other paralympics athletes  that  finished on the podium  at Paris  2024, Folashade  still have some sentiments  bothering on the welfare of  the physically challenge athletes  should she has  the  opportunity of a face-to-face encounter  with the sports-loving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“What will be my  request If by any chance I run into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?” she asked rhetorically .“He (Mr. President) should empower us as special athletes making the country proud at any major international competitions .

“We need to be encouraged. The government should establish us by providing standard  sporting facilities for the special people. We have talents but lacking behind in terms of facilities. The facilities we see outside the country are intimidating but for our determination to making the country proud, we don’t allow it to overwhelm  us.

“We are naturally gifted, so government should focus on the provision a befitting and well equipped gym for us.

“For instance, the gym provided for us at national stadium in Surulere, Lagos  , is always flooded when it rains  which makes training impossible and also other sporting equipment needs urgent replacements,” she added.