Tola Adebisi, seventeen year old Bray native, is taking the world of powerlifting by storm. At face value she appears to be a standard teenager; her Facebook profile ticking all the boxes of a girl who spends too much time on social media! However, Tola has another dimension to her. She is one of the extraordinary athletes who reminds us that despite all of the pressures of the modern world, we have some amazing young people doing amazing things.
Tola Adebisi is a kickboxer, a hockey player and now a world champion power lifter.
It was through doing strength and conditioning training with Jayj Mulligan in CSP Gym in Bray for the last two years, that Tola discovered a love of power lifting. She recently took part in the Irish Drug Free Powerlifting Association, (IDFPA), ‘Full Power’ competition in the Red Cow Moran Hotel where she broke the world record for the squat in her age and weight category. As a result of her success,Tola was invited on to the national power lifting team and attended the world single lift championship in Wrexham in Wales in June. By the end of day three, she had won three World Titles and had broken the National, European and World record in the squat, and the National record in the bench press. Tola has been kickboxing since she was six years old. She trains out of Tallaght Martial Arts and has been National Kickboxing Champion nine times. Tola has also represented Ireland abroad as part of the National kickboxing team many times and is preparing to represent her country at this years World Association of Kickboxing Organisations, (WAKO), world championships in August, when the competition will be held in Ireland for the first time.
Tola represents something to be proud of in our town. There are so many young people in Bray who are achieving great things at local, national and international levels and so many adults out there supporting them to follow their dreams. Tola’s outlook is always positive and her drive to achieve her goals is balanced by her genuine enjoyment of the journey. Her parents Michelle and Sunday are with her every step of the way and are ready to make every sacrifice necessary for Tola to follow her dreams.
Tola you are a legend!
