Haruna storms to global breakthrough: Rises to Africa’s No.1
Tahiru Haruna has powered his way into Ghanaian sporting history after conquering Africa and breaking into the world’s elite with a sensational medal-winning performance at the 2026 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Algeria.
Competing against some of the sport’s most dominant heavyweights in the men’s 107kg+ division, the Ghanaian strongman delivered a commanding display, claiming bronze behind two Iranians while simultaneously securing his status as Africa’s top-ranked athlete with a string of record-breaking performances in the category.
Haruna’s remarkable achievement ranks among Ghana’s greatest successes in international para powerlifting and marks a significant breakthrough for the nation’s growing ambitions on the global para sports stage.
The Ghanaian earned special recognition as Africa’s number one-ranked athlete in the division and was officially presented with a gold medal to confirm his continental dominance.
He also captured two African gold medals for the best lift ever recorded by an African athlete in the category and for the highest combined total across three attempts.
At the world level, Haruna finished behind champion Aminzadeh Ahmad and runner-up Saadi Mahid to secure two bronze medals and cement his rise to third in the world rankings.
The performance instantly transformed him into one of Africa’s leading contenders heading into a crucial cycle that includes the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and qualification battles for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
Haruna believes the breakthrough is the result of relentless discipline and a mentality shaped by Ghana Paralympic Committee President Samson Deen’s ambitious “Mount the Podium Agenda”.
“We have been pushing to reach the top,” Haruna said after the competition.
“We won the medals for our President, Samson Deen, for his ‘Mount the Podium Agenda’ set in 2025, which calls for discipline and hard work.”
The Ghanaian’s performance in Algeria was built on power, composure and tactical consistency against some of the strongest para powerlifters in the world.
But beyond the medals, his rise signals something much bigger for Ghanaian para sports.
The championships became another statement of Ghana’s growing international competitiveness as Isaac Nii Ayetey Tagoe and Isaac Obeng also delivered podium finishes to lift Team Ghana’s overall medal haul to six.
Tagoe produced a gritty performance in the men’s 72kg division, finishing eighth in the world rankings and fourth in Africa after battling through a highly competitive field.
Obeng also added to Ghana’s success story by claiming bronze in the men’s 59kg category, where he placed seventh globally among 12 elite competitors and fifth in Africa.
Together, the performances reinforced Ghana’s growing reputation as an emerging force in para powerlifting, a sport increasingly delivering international credibility, medals and Paralympic promise for the country.
