Written by Bethel Kalu
She tilts her head, then keeps calm, closes her eyes, harnessing her deepest strength and then roars. Her voice resonate the 8,000 capacity Porte De La Chapelle Arena which had gone silent. She is about to try something she had never done before: attempting a world record at the Paralympics. Yes! She successfully completes her lift and the arena comes alive again with cheers from fans and the coaches. Onyinyechi Mark has set a new World Record, lifting 150kg in the women’s 61kg powerlifting event.
By Harry De Cosemo for the IPC
She had won Gold and broken the world record when she lifted 147kg. A star was announced to the world.
She knew she carried the hopes and expectations of a Nation. Nigeria’s outing at the Olympics was disappointing. At the point she stepped onto the mat, Nigeria had also not won gold in the 2024 Paralympics. If it were a jinx, she was ready to break it.
Onyinyechi is resilient. Her past experiences illustrate this. Going into the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Onyinyechi had great expectations and strongly believed she would go home with a medal. However, she, alongside Latifat Tijani were disqualified on technical grounds after a late arrival for kit check.
That was an unexpected disappointment for her. She had trained and prepared for this event, hoping to join the long list of Nigerian powerlifters who have won gold at the Games. The pains of that lost chance lingered but she was ready to banish those memories and Paris 2024 was the right platform to relaunch herself.
“Akpuruka,” The power behind the name…
Igbo is the indigenous language of the Southeastern part of Nigeria and from there, comes Onyinyechi’s nickname, “Akpuruka.” It is an Igbo word which means “strong, resilient and sturdy.” It embodies the concept of a body which is capable of withstanding pressure and springing back after a relapse. The name also means the ability to surmount what looks insurmountable.
Her coach, Jude Ihuarulam gave her that nickname just after seeing her the first time and she has embodied that word in the true sense of it; showing resilience after disappointments and doing what seemed impossible: breaking and setting a world record on her Paralympics debut.
The Ihuarulam Influence
Onyinyechi’s story cannot be complete without the Ihuarulam angle. Coach Jude Chinedu Ihuarulam is Onyinyechi’s trainer. He is the Head of Department, Para Sports at the Abia State Sports Council. So I set out on a journey to meet the man who has raised many international gold medalists.
I spoke to coach Ihuarulam (as he is called) for the first time on a Tuesday. The next day, he was in his hometown to arrange for his mother’s burial and on Thursday, he was already back to base. On Thursday morning, I traveled 58 kilometers by bus, from Aba to Umuahia to meet him at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
When I walked into the stadium, I went close to the indoor sports hall where a volleyball game was ongoing. I called him on phone to tell him I had arrived and he told me to come inside the indoor sports hall. As I walked in, I saw him on the court, as an official. It was a sight I never expected. What was he doing in a volleyball court as a match official? While I was still lost in thoughts, he turned and gave me signal to wait.
When the game ended, he strapped his bag on his shoulders and as we walked out of the hall, he said: “I know you are surprised to see me as a volleyball official.” He saw the disbelief on my face and rightly read my thoughts. We found a suitable place, away from the lively indoor sports hall to talk, about him and his exploits as a coach and most importantly, his Paralympics experiences and how he found Onyinyechi Mark.
He told me how the journey started with Onyinyechi
“I was not around when someone brought her. At a time, we did not see her again. So I asked where she was living and I went with my captain, Obioma to Agbama, very far from here. Immediately I saw her, I looked at her and called her “Akpuruka” (strong, resilient). She had not handled a barbell before. I saw her physique and I called her the name and she started coming here.”
Soon, Onyinyechi stopped coming to training due to some challenges but the coach was not ready to give up. He had spotted a gem and was not ready to let go. He continues the story…
“In fact, her sister did not want her to, but I told her sister: “By God’s grace, this girl will be a world champion. God will bless your family through her.”
“They were still hesitant until I told my captain to come out from his car. When he came out, they were stunned. They asked: “Can a person with disability drive?” That was a turning point.”
Ihuarulam has been with her on this journey, to Dubai, Tbilisi, Birmingham and many other countries; just as a father would want to be close to his daughter, cheering her on. She is the epitome of humility–a quality which endeared her to Ihuarulam who now sees her as a daughter.
“She is like a daughter to me. I talk to her like I talk to the last child in my family. She is very humble. Whatever she will not do, she will tell you in a humble manner. She listens to me.”
Onyinye’s humility is visible. As I spoke to the world record holder, I was in awe–holding a recorder just in front of someone I watched on TV clutching her gold medal–yet, I did not look for that quality, it was there to be seen.
Meeting the Champion
On the day I spoke to Onyinyechi’s coach, I could not meet her. So, that means that I would have to return. The next morning, I left for Umuahia again. I had been to the capital city many times, but this trip was special.
I arrived early ahead of schedule and met coach Ihuarulam who was already on ground with other athletes. Onyinyechi had not arrived so I had to wait. For the first time, I watched the para athletes train and talk about their career and other trending topics in the country.
There was obvious expectation in the air; the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti would host Onyinyechi Mark, Esther Nworgu who won silver at the Paralympics in Paris, the Badminton team which won medals in Uganda and the U15 boys who won gold at the National Youth Games in Asaba.
I watched as coach Ihuarulam had a session with a boy who just joined the sport. He sat on a bench, close enough to see what the boy was doing. “Come down to your chest. You stop on your chest and push straight.” He said. After the session, the boy later sat with him on a chair and the coach demonstrated to him how it is done. The young boy was attentive. why would he not? Standing before him was a coach who has attained legendary status as long as powerlifting is concerned.
Finally, the champion arrived. She quickly got ready to train and joined others for warmup before the main training session. I watched too as she trained with other athletes in different categories. It was after the session that we met. Coming to training is a routine, but having a journalist waiting to hear her story is new.
She narrated to me how she came into the sport.
“I was on the road when a man called Onyebuchi Ndukwe saw me and told me that there is a place where people with disabilities like me do sports and that he would like me to join. So one day, he brought me here to the stadium and I saw Samuel Ekeoma who took me to coach Jude Ihuarulam. Coach Ihuarulam told me to stretch my arms, which I did and he said I can do it.”
“On that day, he gave me barbells and I did it well, he then gave me 50kg, I lifted it. He gave me 60kg and I lifted it. He asked me if I had been lifting and I said no. He then said to me: “you will go far in powerlifting.” Since then, God has been great.”
Onyinyechi’s love for the sport made her devote time for the sport she loves. Even though she did not fully understand how grading was done, she was ready to get on the mat and lift. In 2017, she went to her first national trials in Ibadan and won but she did not get a medal because it was a trial. She was surprised to know she had won as she did not really know how grading was done. What a rookie she was! When would she really touch a medal then?
Then came the National Sports Festival. This is Nigeria’s version of the Olympics. In this festival, all Nigerian athletes, home or abroad are eligible to come home and compete for their states. Onyinyechi was at the festival in the colours of her State, Abia.
It was her moment to announce the arrival of a champion. She won gold at the event.
Her background and motivation
Ikwuano, where she comes from, has seen development in many areas, especially the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. The institution is one of the best in the country and has made significant progress in agricultural research. Across Ikwuano too is a road which connects Abia to Ikot-Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State. What else can come out of Ikwuano? Enter, Onyinyechi Mark.
Her steady rise and eventual success has placed her among the most cherished daughters of Ikwuano. Her story has traversed through the smaller villages and the settlements–the story is heard that their daughter has brought glory to the country. As it is normal in such environments, her relatives will carry their shoulders high as they stop by to tell stories about their relative.
Along bush paths to farms, women carrying sizeable logs of wood would talk about it as their faces beam with pride and contagious smile. Where she comes from, one woman gives birth, but the community owns the child. Onyinyechi’s success is that of the community and her name would be used as a form of identity. It would not be surprising to hear someone say “I come from Onyinyechi’s village, the Paralympic gold medalist.”
This is an inspiration to Ikwuano’s young girls. No matter what their situation might be, or what restrictions they temporarily have, they can dream and become who they want to be.
Over the hurdles
In some cases, relatives of people with disabilities may restrict them from such ventures as sports, or other activities. To some, this might be a protection, to others, it might be victimization. After she began this journey, she was discouraged from coming to the stadium for training and other activities.
Her family must have had fears, so she stopped. Coach Ihuarulam took the Abia Para powerlifting captain to find her, a journey which took them to the remotest part of a place called Agbama. Coach Ihuarulam convinced the family to let her do sports, promising to take good care of the young girl as she was about 16.
She remembers this experience vividly. Having overcome challenges along her way, to becoming a gold medalist at the Paralympics, she surely is in a position to give advice to other athletes.
The zeal to break free from unpleasant living conditions propelled her to endure and to do more. She urges people living with disabilities to persevere, as endurance leads to glory.
“In any situation you see yourself, don’t be discouraged. You can help yourself to keep living. Some people with disabilities face discouragement and restrictions from relatives. If I can do it, they too can do it.”
“I urge people like me to do their best. If you want to be a para athlete, or join any other field of endeavour, be diligent. Know where you are coming from; your background and do it because you want to succeed and you will be successful.”
Since then, she has been on a steady rise. In 2021, she won silver at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. In 2023, she won gold at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Dubai.
Paris 2024
With her stunning performance at the World Championships, she was set for her Paralympics debut. Coming into the Paralympics, she already had a world record which she set at the Cairo 2022 African Open Championships with a lift of 143 kg. She set a world record in Dubai by lifting 144 kg and then set a new record of 146 kg.
Coming to the Paralympics, she knew what she wanted. A gold medal in the Paralympics would be the best of them all. She had earned the right for such a lofty dream, had she not? After winning gold in Dubai, Onyinyechi knew the next step was gold in Paris. She said: “The world is looking on me now after this Worlds medal so, I will be training hard and by the grace of God, I want to win the gold at Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.” That is someone who knew what she wanted.
So when she wheeled into the La Chapelle Arena, she looked around and soaked in the pressure. She knew it was the day. When she went on the mat, she she knew the hour had arrived. When she was told to lift, she knew what time it was: time to bring home the gold medal–one which Nigeria had not won in Paris. The arena went silent for the champion.
She shattered her own world record of 146 kg and set a new world record at 147 kg. Gold has arrived. But wait, one more–as if a debt was to be paid–to tell the world and his wife that she is the woman of the moment. She went for the world record. Would she do it? Was a trial necessary? Her coaches urged her on and she took the challenge; she had never feared any.
As she was ready for history, the La Chapelle Arena went silent again. History was about to be made. She let out a roar, a roar of victory which resonated the arena and she did lift it, yes it is done. A new world record, 150 kg!
As she brought home the gold and world record, there was joy for Nigerians at home and abroad. At the Umuahia stadium and its environs, news spread like wildfire, sending everyone around into rapture. The cabinet is full: Nigerian champion, African champion, World champion, Olympic gold medalist, world record holder.
Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Senator John Owan Enoh summed up the emotions of millions of Nigerians with this glowing tribute to Onyinyechi on his X handle.
“You have brought immense pride and joy to Nigerians, you have built a momentum which makes a worthy statement of the resilient Nigerian spirit. We are so proud of you, the government and sports-loving people of Nigeria celebrate you our champ! Thank you for doing it for yourself and the country.”
Her name is Onyinyechi, which in her language means “God’s gift.” She is an athlete from Abia, “God’s own State.” Surely, she is a gift, to Ikwuano, Abia, Nigeria, Africa, and the World.