Meet Kareem Waheed, The Powerlifter Putting Nigeria On The World Map

At the 2017 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Powerlifting and Weightlifting Championship which held in Las Vegas in April, Lagos-born Kareem Waheed beat competitors from other parts of the worldto emerge the overall best.

The powerlifter, who’s also called ‘Body’ because of his massive body, had only one dream growing up – to become the world champion in powerlifting. Although he was ‘as thin as a broomstick’ then, he started working towards achieving that dream. In 1999, his passion for powerlifting made him start going to the National Stadium in Surulere where local competitions were being held. He took part in most of these competitions to improve on himself.

Once he turned pro in 2004, Waheed had the privilege of attending the South African Powerlifting Championship where he was the youngest powerlifter. The experience he got from the competition helped shape his future in powerlifting.

 

The lack of sponsorship is an ugly reality that plagues a lot of athletes in Nigeria. Waheed had his fair share of it for years until Bet9ja came onboard as his sponsor. With their support, he’s gradually making exploits.

After months of training, he was back in Las Vegas to represent Nigeria in the second stage of the AAU Powerlifting Championship on September 16. As proof that hard work and determination pay off, he won in his category! We can’t wait to see more of him as he blazes through the world of powerlifting.