Team Nigeria kicked off the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with a bang on the first day. Folashade Oluwafemiayo set a new world record to win gold in para powerlifting. This performance helped the team secure five medals as they aim for the National Sports Commission’s target of 16 to 20 gold medals, writes PETER AKINBO.
On Friday, Team Nigeria delivered one of the strongest opening days seen at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo’s world record gold in the Women’s heavyweight para powerlifting event led the charge. After the first day of competition, Nigeria was second on the medals table, just behind Australia.
By the end of the day, Nigeria had won two gold and three silver medals. Australia led with four gold, two silver, and four bronze medals. Hosts Scotland followed with two gold and two silver.
All five of Nigeria’s medals came from para powerlifting. This shows how para powerlifting continues to be a dependable source of medals for Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games.
Oluwafemiayo had an exceptional performance, lifting 134.8kg. This achievement broke the world record and secured her the Women’s Heavyweight title at the SEC Armadillo. Rita Ferdinand from Nigeria joined her on the podium, lifting 128.2kg for silver. This lift also broke the previous world record, marking a clean sweep for Nigeria in the top two positions. Australia’s Hani Watson won bronze with 111.5kg, while England’s Louise Sugden and Doaa Shayea finished with 106.5kg and 93.3kg respectively. India’s Kasthuri Rajamani could not make a successful lift.
This result marked Nigeria’s second one-two finish in para powerlifting on the day. Earlier, 24-year-old Esther Nworgu won Nigeria’s first gold medal of the Games in the women’s lightweight category. She set a Games record twice in ten minutes, finishing with a lift of 123kg for a total of 119 points.
Nworgu, who won silver at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, finished ahead of her compatriot Esther Oyema, who took silver with 115.5 points. England’s Olivia Broome secured bronze with 106.6 points.
In the men’s lightweight category, 50-year-old Roland Ezuruike brought home Nigeria’s first medal of the Games. He won silver with 153.9 points after narrowly missing out on gold with a failed final lift. England’s Mark Swan won gold on a tiebreak, with both athletes finishing on the same points. Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin took bronze.
Nigeria’s achievements on the opening day were not limited to para powerlifting. The country made history in 3×3 basketball. They recorded their first-ever win in this category at the Commonwealth Games, defeating the Cayman Islands 21-17 in their Pool A opener. They reached the winning score with one minute and 36 seconds remaining. National Sports Commission Director-General Bukola Olopade celebrated the win with players and officials.
“This is the kind of start we were hoping for. Congratulations to the team for their fighting spirit and determination. Enjoy this victory, but stay focused because the journey has only just begun. Nigeria believes in you, and we are confident you can achieve even greater success at these Games,” Olopade said.
Team Nigeria faced mixed results elsewhere. Swimmer Clinton Opute finished sixth in his heat of the men’s 200m individual medley, clocking two minutes 15.40 seconds, which was not enough to advance. Boxer Ayomide Foly Hassan also faced disappointment, getting eliminated in the men’s 70kg division after a tough Round of 32 loss to Lesotho’s Refiloe Thai.
The five Nigerian medalists have received a nice reward for their efforts. They earned a total of $18,000 under the National Sports Commission’s improved athlete welfare and reward policy. This policy offers $8,000 for gold, $5,000 for silver, and $3,000 for bronze.
Team Nigeria, with 74 athletes competing in ten sports in Glasgow, aims to build on this strong start on Saturday. The men’s 3×3 basketball team will face Australia, with more boxing and swimming events scheduled. The National Sports Commission is still focused on reaching its target of 16 to 20 gold medals. Nigerian boxers have won over 30 Commonwealth Games medals since the country’s first appearance in 1950, including four medals at Birmingham 2022, which featured a silver for Elizabeth Oshoba.
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