Rafiatu Lawal and Olympics dream

Posted : 15 June 2023

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal is definitely a goal getter, she is a weight lifter with set goals on her mind.

Rafiatu Lawal was born on November 12, 1996. She was born and raised in Lagos State, in the southwestern part of Nigeria, where she received her primary and secondary education.

Within the few years she bursted into limelight, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal has been known for something unique, "Gold Medal" in all her competitive appearances.

It is often surprising that Lawal, from her past appearances at local and international events, has always ended up a gold medalist.

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal was 2022 Commonwealth Games Gold medalist, 2023 African Games Gold medalist, and 2021 Tashkent, Uzbekistan World Weightlifting Championships gold medalist.

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal was also a recipient of three gold medals in 2019 All African Games in Morocco and similarly won another three gold medals at the National Sports Festival held in Edo state in 2020.

At the last National Sports Festival (NSF), in Asaba, Delta State, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal carted away all the three gold medals at stake in Clean and Jerk.

However, she is expectedly about few months away from setting another world record, as the 2024 Olympics in Paris draws near, judging from her record of not just winning gold medals in previous international challenges, but also setting records, this precedence should give her much more assurance going to the highest and biggest sporting event in the world calendar.

For the records, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal is the new African record of 93 kg holder in the Snatch event, the record she sought through hardwork, diligence and determination.

Now 26 years old, with a career that makes her a popular figure, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal has to reorder her priorities, because Olympics is an entirely different ball game as all the participants are equal champions.

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal must ensure that she possesses the right mental strength to contest at the highest levels of world-class status and in Paris, France next year, she will be chasing a goal rather than the gold.

According to Lawal in an interview at the last NSF, "Weightlifting is my thing, the ultimate sport I enjoy the most.

"I began lifting at a tender age, now I just hope I keep on getting better and better, one day, the Olympics dream will come, I pray for a gold medal, I hope I'm not asking too much," she said.

From early 2017 when she was discovered, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal has been clean in and out and has never been caught in the web of banned substances or performance enhancement drugs.

As a devout muslim, she has kept her faith and exhibited moral diligence, which is a passcode to her past meritorious achievements.

Just last month, May, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal once again swept the medals table in Tunis, Tunisia where she qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics in style, earning for herself another three gold medals in Clean & Jerk 59kg category.

The Oyo State-born weightlifter, at the 2022 Commonwealth Games earned a gold medal in 59kg women category after lifting 206kg comprising 116kg clean and jerk and 90kg snatch to smatch the existing record, setting a new Commonwealth Games record in the class.

In a congratulatory message to Rafiatu Lawal, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Oyo State chapel wote: "Rafiatu Lawal’s feats in Birmingham were not a surprise to those following her exploits in various competitions she had participated in.

"Rafiatu Lawal’s excellent performance at the ongoing Commonwealth Games is not unexpected, given the fact that she has always been exceptional in all the national and international competitions in which she participated," the message read.

Clearly, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal will be a spot on the podium in Weightlifting event at the fast approaching 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, as all eyes will be on her to do the magic.

Will Rafiatu Folashade Lawal step into this challenge and do Nigeria proud? It will be a good show if she lives up to the billing.

Rafiatu Lawal and Olympics dream

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