Ghana’s para powerlifting sensation, Tahiru Haruna, delivered a historic and commanding performance at the ORAN African Open Championships 2026 in Algeria, winning a prestigious bronze medal in the highly competitive Men’s Up to 107kg+ category, finishing behind two Iranian lifters who secured gold and silver respectively.
In a remarkable achievement for Ghana and African para sports, Haruna was also officially recognized as the Number One Ranked Athlete in Africa in the Men’s 107kg+ division and was presented with a special Gold Medal for leading the African rankings.
The achievement marks another major milestone in Ghana’s growing presence on the global para powerlifting stage and further strengthens the country’s qualification pathway toward the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
Haruna’s performance in Oran showcased resilience, discipline, strength, and consistency against some of the world’s best para powerlifters, reinforcing his status as one of Africa’s elite competitors in the heavyweight division.
Following his success in Algeria, Haruna is now expected to continue his international campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in July, where he aims to improve his performance totals, secure more world ranking points, and intensify his qualification drive toward Los Angeles 2028.
Speaking after the competition, Tahiru Haruna dedicated the achievement to Ghana and the leadership vision driving para sports development.
“We have been pushing to reach the top. We won the medals for President Samson Deen for his ‘Mount the Podium Agenda’ set in 2025, which calls for discipline and hard work.”
— Tahiru Haruna
The latest achievement adds to Ghana’s growing medal success at the African Open Championships and highlights the determination of Ghanaian para athletes to compete and excel at the highest international level despite limited support and resources.
With the road to LA 2028 firmly underway, Tahiru Haruna’s rise continues to inspire a new generation of para athletes across Ghana and Africa.
