Lawal secures sixth gold for Nigeria at Commonwealth Games with record performance
Nigeria’s Weightlifting Dominance in Glasgow
Rafiatu Folashade Lawal secured Nigeria’s sixth gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Her performance in the women’s 58kg weightlifting event was marked by record-breaking lifts. Lawal successfully defended her title, achieving new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records.
She lifted 103kg in the snatch, setting new records for both the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth. Following this, she achieved a lift of 126kg in the clean and jerk, which also established new double records. Her combined total lift of 229kg further cemented new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records, leading to a decisive victory.
Lawal’s performance placed her 14kg ahead of Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau, who earned the silver medal with a total of 215kg. This margin highlighted Lawal’s superior showing throughout the competition.
Additional Gold and Silver Medals
Lawal’s gold medal came shortly after Onome Omolola Didih secured Nigeria’s fifth gold medal. Didih competed in the women’s 53kg event, also delivering a record-breaking performance. She set new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records in the snatch with 93kg, the clean and jerk with 113kg, and a total lift of 206kg.
Earlier on the same day, Edidiong Umoafia initiated Nigeria’s gold medal streak in weightlifting. Umoafia claimed the men’s 71kg title, achieving a Commonwealth Games record total of 319kg. These victories underscore Nigeria’s strong presence in weightlifting at the Games.
The success in weightlifting builds upon the foundation laid by Nigeria’s para powerlifters during the initial days of the Games. The country’s first three gold medals were won by Esther Nworgu, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, and Riluwan Idris in para powerlifting events.
In addition to the gold medals, Nigeria has also secured several silver medals. These were won by Roland Ezuruike, Esther Oyema, and Rita Ferdinand in para powerlifting. Weightlifter Ruth Asuquo Nyong also contributed a silver medal.
Ruth Nyong’s silver medal was achieved in the women’s 48kg event. She made a notable comeback after initially finishing third in the snatch with a personal best lift of 75kg. Nyong faced a challenge after missing her first two clean and jerk attempts at 93kg.
Despite the pressure, Nyong successfully completed her final attempt, securing the silver medal. Her total lift was 168kg, placing her behind India’s Mirabai Chanu, who took gold. Malaysia’s Irene Henry earned the bronze medal in the same event.
Nyong began her competition by lifting 71kg on her first snatch attempt, then improved to a personal best of 75kg on her second lift. Her ability to recover from the missed clean and jerk attempts and secure a podium finish was a key moment.
Chanu’s victory marked India’s first gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, as she successfully defended her women’s 48kg title. This was Chanu’s third consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, having also won in Birmingham in 2022 and on the Gold Coast in 2018. She had previously earned a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Overall, Nigeria’s performance in the weightlifting and para-powerlifting events has been strong, with the country’s athletes collectively winning three gold and four silver medals thus far. With upcoming events in athletics, wrestling, boxing, and more weightlifting, Team Nigeria’s medal count is anticipated to increase.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
