Onyinyechi Mark lifted 148 kilograms in Oran's Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex and, in that instant, rewrote what was possible in women's para powerlifting. The Paris 2024 champion's world record effort in the up to 67kg category was more than a technical achievement—it was a declaration. Nigeria would leave Algeria's African Open Championships unquestionably dominant, collecting 24 medals including 15 golds in a display of strength that reverberated across three days of individual and team competition.
The scale of Nigeria's showing matters because these championships serve as a mandatory stepping stone on the path to Los Angeles 2028. More than 150 athletes from 20 nations converged on Oran from May 21 to 23 to compete for ranking points, making this the third regional stop of the 2026 season. In that context, Nigeria's haul—combined with Egypt's 14 golds and Iran's five titles—signaled who the powerhouses are as the Paralympic qualification cycle intensifies.
Mark's record broke the previous standard of 147kg held by China's Cui Jianjin since last October's Cairo World Championships. But what made her performance distinctive was the ritual behind it: her loud scream, her raised arms, and then the flawless execution. She finished eight kilograms clear of Egypt's Paris 2024 medallist Fatma Elyan, a margin that spoke to her control and precision. "When I wake up, I see myself in a team," Mark said afterward. "It means a lot, the sport means a lot. I feel happy when I am doing it."
Nigeria's strength extended far beyond Mark. Folashade Oluwafemiayo, the reigning Paralympic champion and world record holder, powered to gold in the women's over 86kg with 160 kilograms—seven kilograms below her own Paris 2024 world record but more than enough to secure victory. Anifat Ganiyu set the tone early with gold in the women's 41kg. Tolulope Ogundolie, Rukayat Ajiboye, and 30-year-old Chiamaka Ani—claiming her first major international title—each added gold medals that accumulated into Nigeria's commanding position.
Egypt remained formidable, with stars like Rehab Ahmed continuing her winning momentum in the women's up to 61kg with 135 kilograms, four kilograms better than her effort at the Cairo World Championships just seven months earlier. Algeria's Rita Ferdinand, meanwhile, produced a powerful statement of her own, equalling the world record of 154kg set at Paris 2024 while bettering the African record in the women's up to 79kg.
Three records fell across the championships: one world record from Mark, and two African records. The achievement resonates because para powerlifting has become integral to Paralympic pride, particularly for nations like Nigeria that topped the medals table at the Commonwealth Games in its previous edition. As Mark herself acknowledged in the lead-up to Paris, her commitment to the sport is unwavering—"I will train harder to make sure I get my gold back again in LA," she promised. In Oran, she delivered on that promise early, staking a claim on the podium that awaits in 2028.