Former World and Olympic wrestling champion Daniel Igali, who is Bayelsa State’s Commissioner for Sports, believes Team Nigeria will perform well at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. He praised the National Sports Commission for focusing on athlete welfare ahead of the event, according to The PUNCH.
Igali said signs from Team Nigeria's camp indicate that they are ready to compete for medals. He noted that the preparations have improved significantly.
“From all the information available, I believe there are genuine reasons to be optimistic about Team Nigeria’s prospects at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games,” Igali stated.
He gave credit to NSC chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and director general Bukola Olopade for creating an environment where athletes can focus on their performance.
“Reports indicate that the athletes arrived in the United Kingdom early enough for proper acclimatisation. Allowances and other welfare arrangements have also been sorted out in good time. As a former athlete, I can say these are not small matters. When athletes are free from welfare concerns, they are able to focus entirely on performance,” he added.
Igali also mentioned that long-term planning is essential for success at major championships. He said he could not fully judge the quality of the athletes' preparations leading up to the final camp from outside the technical setup.
He believes athletics, weightlifting, and para sports are Nigeria's best chances for medals. He also thinks the boxing team could surprise people in Glasgow.
“Weightlifting, in particular, has remained one of Nigeria’s most dependable medal-winning sports. I will be following the team with special interest,” he said.
The sports commissioner also wished success to Bayelsa athletes Abayomi Adeyemi, Favour Agboro, Ruth Ayodele, Adedapo Opadeji, and Tima Godbless. He acknowledged that they earned their spots through hard work and merit.
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