Team Nigeria continued its impressive campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Monday, winning three gold medals to take its total to six gold and four silver medals.
Rafiatu Folashade Lawal led the charge with a record-breaking performance in the women’s 58kg weightlifting event, while Edidiong Joseph Umoafia and Onome Omolola Didih also claimed gold in their respective events.
Lawal dominated the competition from the opening lift, recording 103kg in the snatch to establish a nine-kilogramme lead over Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau. She then lifted 126kg in the clean and jerk to finish with a combined total of 229kg, setting a new Commonwealth Games record.
Taschereau secured silver with a total of 215kg, while India’s Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam won bronze with 199kg.
Umoafia had earlier opened Nigeria’s gold-medal account for the day by winning the men’s 71kg event with a Commonwealth Games record total of 319kg. He lifted 147kg in the snatch and 172kg in the clean and jerk to claim the title.
Samoa’s John Lautafi Tafi finished second with 314kg, while Ezekiel Moses of Nauru took bronze after recording a total of 310kg.
Didih completed Nigeria’s golden sweep in weightlifting by winning the women’s 53kg category. She set a new Commonwealth Games record with a 93kg snatch before finishing with a winning total of 206kg.
India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav claimed silver with 199kg, while Canada’s Rebeka Groulx took bronze with 178kg.
The three victories further strengthened Nigeria’s impressive record in weightlifting at the Games. The country had earlier secured silver through Ruth Asuquo Nyong in the women’s 48kg event, while Favour Agboro narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing fourth in the men’s 65kg category.
Nigeria has also enjoyed success in para powerlifting, with Esther Nworgu, Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Rilwan Idris winning gold, while Esther Oyema, Roland Ezuruike and Rita Ferdinand claimed silver.
With athletics now gathering momentum, Team Nigeria will hope to add more medals to its growing tally as the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games continue.
