Armwrestling championship: Nigeria’s Adefunke Afeniforo defeats champion Olaleye Marie in Abuja

In a jaw-dropping moment at the 14th African Armwrestling Championship in Abuja, Nigeria’s Adefunke Afeniforo stunned the continent by defeating long-reigning African champion Olaleye Marie of Benin Republic in the fiercely contested 65kg women’s category — a match already being called the biggest upset of the tournament.

Afeniforo, who only began training in armwrestling in April 2025,when she was discovered in Ibadan made history by dethroning the dominant Marie — who had made headlines at the last African Games by clinching double gold (left and right hand), becoming Benin Republic’s first-ever gold medalist in the process.

But tonight, the underdog reigned supreme.

Speaking moments after her victory, an emotional Afeniforo said:

“I still can’t believe this happened. I trained with everything I had, and I knew I was facing a legend. I respect Olaleye deeply, but I came here to prove something — that no dream is too small, and no champion is unbeatable. Nigeria believed in me, and this win is for everyone who never gave up.”

The crowd at the M.K.O. Abiola National Stadium erupted as Afeniforo’s hand was raised — a powerful symbol of Nigeria’s rise in the sport and the unpredictability that has defined Abuja 2025 so far.

Marie, the defending champion, had dominated the African armwrestling scene for years. But on this night, Afeniforo’s power, technique, and composure proved too much — and with it, a new era may have just begun in African women’s armwrestling.

With several matches to go and medal rounds heating up, the championship is shaping into a high-stakes battlefield of giants and fearless challengers.