INTERVIEW: Rafiat Lawal opens up on title defence, Olympic ambitions and Nigeria’s weightlifting revival

Fresh from defending her Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, Nigerian weightlifting star Lawal reinforced her status as one of the country’s most consistent athletes on the international stage.

The reigning champion not only retained her crown but also set a new Commonwealth Games record, underlining Nigeria’s growing dominance in weightlifting.

In this interview in Glasgow, Lawal reflects on the atmosphere inside the arena, the demanding preparation that led to her success, the emotional support from teammates and fans, her ambitions of competing at the Olympic Games despite having to switch weight categories, and why she believes increased support from the National Sports Commission has helped fuel Nigeria’s recent success in the sport.

PT: Congratulations on becoming a back-to-back Commonwealth Games champion.

Lawal: Thank you.

PT: How does it feel to successfully defend your Commonwealth Games title?

Lawal: I feel good.

PT: Yesterday, the crowd was fully behind you. They were shouting and cheering throughout. How much did that motivate you?

Lawal: For me, seeing a big crowd like that really motivates me. Let me just say it really motivates me.

PT: Tell us about your preparation for these Commonwealth Games.

Lawal: Let me say I started from home with my training before moving to the National Sports Commission camp and then to the Aberdeen camp. It was tough training all through, but I would say it turned out well.

PT: Looking at the weights you attempted from your first lift, was there any point you thought you might not be able to lift them?

Lawal: It’s a competition, so no one can decide how it’s going to go. At first, it scared me a little, but later I adjusted.

PT: Your teammates were constantly cheering you on, saying things like, “My baby, I trust you. You can do it.” How important is that kind of support to a weightlifter?

Lawal: In sports generally, we need people to motivate us and make the atmosphere lively before anything. In our sport, I love the way people shout because it lifts my spirit and motivates me even more.

PT: You also had a signature celebration after your lifts that reminded many people of Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous celebration. Are you a Ronaldo fan?

Lawal: Although I was just practising it myself, I didn’t know someone else was already doing it. It was only yesterday that people asked me during another interview if I was a Ronaldo fan. It makes me even happier that people are comparing me with someone great in another sport.

PT: With what you’ve achieved here, how much confidence does this give you ahead of the Olympics?

Lawal: Like I said then, hard work pays. The more you keep pushing, the more you get closer to your goals. I will keep pushing towards the Olympics.

PT: Does winning here change your Olympic plans?

Lawal: My category is not an Olympic event, so I have to move to another weight class. I can’t say yet which one because everything is still being worked out, but I know I have to move.

PT: Coming into this competition, was your target simply to win gold or were you also aiming to break the Games record?

Lawal: Everybody has their determination before a competition. I was determined to win the gold. Along the way, I also told myself that I should go for everything. Whenever people asked me what I wanted to win, I said I wanted to put everything together. So, breaking the record was also part of my goal.

PT: Were you under any pressure during the competition?

Lawal: In the snatch, I didn’t have much pressure because by the time I came out for my first attempt, I had already secured the gold. My second attempt was then about breaking the record, so there wasn’t much pressure.

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But in the clean and jerk, there was pressure. I initially wanted to start with 120kg, but when they announced another weight, I had to ask them to reduce it because I wanted to secure the gold first before deciding what to do next.

PT: Since Birmingham 2022, Nigerian weightlifters have continued to perform well, including at the African Championships and now here. What has changed?

Lawal: Let me say it’s the encouragement from the National Sports Commission. They have encouraged all the athletes this time around, and I give them credit for that.

PT: Is it about financial support?

Lawal: Let me say it’s about the money, generally, and also the passion the athletes have for the sport.

PT: What role has the federation played?

Lawal: The federation has also been doing its part. They are trying their best.

PT: Thank you very much, and congratulations once again.

Lawal: Thank you.