*Onome Didih on the podium
Team Nigeria produced its most successful outing yet at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, delivering a stunning haul of three gold medals in weightlifting while athletes impressed on the track and in the field. The country’s women also celebrated a memorable first victory in the 3×3 wheelchair basketball event, capping another remarkable day for the Nigerian contingent.
Leading the charge was defending champion Edidiong Joseph Umoafia, who dominated the men’s 71kg weightlifting event. Umoafia lifted a Commonwealth Games record total of 319kg after opening with a record 147kg in the snatch before adding 172kg in the clean and jerk to hand Nigeria its fourth gold medal of the Games.
The gold rush continued in the women’s 53kg category as Onome Didih delivered a flawless performance. She set Commonwealth Games records with a 93kg snatch, a 113kg clean and jerk, and a combined total of 206kg to comfortably finish ahead of India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav and Canada’s Rebeka Groulx.
Rafiatu Folashade Lawal then completed Nigeria’s golden treble by successfully defending her Commonwealth Games title in the women’s 58kg event. Lawal lifted 103kg in the snatch and 126kg in the clean and jerk for a record-breaking total of 229kg, setting new Games marks in all three categories and finishing 14kg ahead of Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau.
Nigeria also picked up a bronze medal through Eucharia Iyiazi, whose opening throw of 8.19m earned her a podium finish in the women’s F57 shot put despite failing to register another valid attempt. However, Adedapo Opadeji was unable to finish the men’s 79kg weightlifting competition.
Nigeria’s sprinters also made an encouraging start to their campaigns. Favour Ashe comfortably won his men’s 100m heat in 10.10 seconds after easing off before the finish, while Nicholas Fakorede advanced to the next round with a time of 10.21 seconds. Miracle Ezechukwu also impressed on her Commonwealth Games debut, winning her women’s 100m heat in 11.32 seconds to qualify for the semifinals.
In the field events, Sade Olatoye booked her place in the women’s hammer throw final after recording a best throw of 62.75 metres to finish 10th in Group A. Her qualification added to Nigeria’s growing list of finalists across the athletics competition.
There was more joy in the women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball event as Nigeria recorded its first victory of the Games with a dramatic 7-6 comeback win over India. Trailing by two points with less than two minutes remaining, the Nigerian side rallied late to snatch victory and round off a memorable day that further strengthened Team Nigeria’s medal push at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
