Folashade Oluwafemiayo, the Nigerian athlete, has broken her world record in the women’s over 86kg para-powerlifting category.

The Team Nigeria captain at the 2024 Paris Paralympics ended the country’s participation in the games by winning a gold medal in the para-powerlifting category.

The 39-year-old Tokyo 2020 champion is now the first para-athlete in history to lift 167kg.

Deng Xuemei of China took silver with a 155kg lift while Egypt’s Nadia Ali won the bronze medal with a 145kg lift.

Oluwafemiayo’s achievement brings Nigeria’s overall Paralympic medal to seven — two gold, three silver and two bronze.

Onyinyechi Mark won Nigeria’s first gold medal after outlifting her opponents in the para-powerlifting finals on Friday.

On Wednesday, Esther Nworgu secured the silver medal in the women’s 41kg para-powerlifting event.

Eniola Bolaji also won a bronze medal in the women’s singles SL3 badminton event on September 2.

On Saturday, Flora Ugwunwa won silver for Nigeria in the women’s javelin F54 final while Isau Ogunkunle secured bronze in the para-table tennis category.

Bose Omolayo also won the silver medal in the 79kg para-powerlifting category.

Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland, is set to topple his team-mate, Kevin De Bruyne as the highest-paid player in the Premier League.

According to Marca, Haaland is close to signing a new contract with the champions.

De Bruyne is currently the best-paid player in the English topflight, reportedly taking home £425,000 a week.

As it stands, Haaland’s basic salary is £375,000 per week, which already places him among the club’s top earners.

However, the structure of Haaland’s contract includes a series of performance-related bonuses, which could potentially increase his weekly earnings beyond £850,000.

Nonetheless, the new deal could see him earn €24 million, £20.5m/$27m net per season.

Ademola Lookman scored once in each half as the Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Benin Republic 3-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifying encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Saturday.

The Atalanta winger punished a sleeping Benin defence and was joined on the scoresheet by Victor Osimhen who was a second-half substitute.

The victory is revenge for a 2-1 reversal suffered by the Eagles in Abidjan as interim coach Austin Eguavoen started Nigeria on a good path to Morocco 2025 qualification.

The Super Eagles created the better openings but a combination of wasteful finishing and good goalkeeping denied Nigeria.

Victor Boniface could not find the target when found from corner kick deliveries while Samuel Chukwueze’s free-kick was pushed over the bar by Marcel Dandjinou, Benin’s goalkeeper.

Dandjinou also saved at the feet of Boniface after good work from Lookman on the wing before the Atalanta winger would eventually break the deadlock on the stroke of halftime.

Lookman pounced on a loose ball and dribbled his way into the box before slotting into the bottom corner to ensure Nigeria went into the break 1-0 ahead.

The attacker failed to double the lead after the interval as he could not get a shot away despite dribbling the goalkeeper and the visitors almost made Nigeria pay for the missed chance.

Nwabali, who had expertly tipped a free-kick around the post in the first period, was however on hand to prevent Gernot Rohr’s side from taking the lead with two quick saves to deny Steve Mounie.

The striker’s fierce shot was stopped before another strike was easily gathered by the Chippa United goalkeeper.

A flurry of changes included Osimhen and the crowd favourite did not disappoint. The Galatasaray striker scored a volley into the net for 2-0 to end a six-game drought with the national team.

Lookam completed his brace on 85 minutes to seal the well-deserved win. Nigeria top Group D of the AFCON qualifiers with all three points from the first match of the series, while Benin Rebuplic are rooted to the bottom.

Nigeria’s Flora Ugwunwa has won a silver medal in women’s Javelin F54 at the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

She finished 2nd in the event with a throw of 19.26m behind Uzbekistan athlete Nurkhon Kurbanova who set a world record with a throw of 21.12m.

Ugwunwa’s feat has made Nigeria rake in the first medal in women’s Javelin category, with a total medal of four so far.

The 40-year-old Nigerian has continued to shine, having now won three consecutive Paralympic medals – two golds (Rio, Tokyo) and now Silver (Paris).

The bronze medal was won by Elham Salehi of Iran who threw 16.24m.

Other athletes who have won medals for Team Nigeria are Onyinyechi Mark, Eniola Bolaji and Esther Nworgu.

Luis Suarez’s 17-year Uruguay career came to a close as they were held to a goalless draw against Paraguay in a South American World Cup qualifier.

Suarez, 37, announced on Monday that he is retiring from international duty.

He ends as Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 143 appearances since his debut against Colombia in February 2007.

Suarez and his family gathered on the pitch before kick-off for a pre-game ceremony, including tributes from fans and a video message from Argentina legend and Inter Miami team-mate Lionel Messi.

“Uruguay is bigger than any player. Starting tomorrow I will be another fan,” he told the crowd.

Uruguay had 65% possession but struggled to break down a dogged Paraguay defence in a scrappy encounter that included 24 fouls and six yellow cards – including one for Suarez.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward had the best chance for the home side but his first-half effort hit the post.

Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron had Paraguay’s best effort but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.

Uruguay were without five players through suspension, including Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, after they clashed with fans during a Copa America defeat by Colombia in July.

The draw keeps Uruguay second in the qualifying table, four points behind Argentina.

Elsewhere, Brazil boosted their flagging World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador.

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo scored the only goal as the five-time world champions moved up from sixth to fourth in the table, with the top six guaranteed a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Teenage winger Estevao Willian, who is joining Chelsea when he turns 18 next year, made his debut as a second-half substitute.

In Lima, third-placed Colombia needed a late goal from Liverpool’s Luis Diaz to earn a 1-1 draw against Peru.

Alexander Callens put Peru ahead on 68 minutes but Diaz headed the equaliser with eight minutes remaining.