Nigeria Wins Sixth Gold at Commonwealth Games with Lawal's Record Lift

Team Nigeria's great performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow continued on Monday. Rafiatu Folashade Lawal won the country’s sixth gold medal with a strong, record-breaking show in the women’s 58kg weightlifting event.

The current Commonwealth champion defended her title successfully. She delivered a perfect performance that broke both the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records.

Lawal lifted 103kg in the snatch, setting new Games and Commonwealth records. Then she lifted 126kg in the clean and jerk, breaking another double record. Her total lift of 229kg also set new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records, securing a clear win.

Lawal finished 14kg ahead of Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau, who took silver with a total of 215kg. This showed Lawal’s strength throughout the competition.

Her sweet victory came just hours after Onome Omolola Didih gave Nigeria its fifth gold medal in the women’s 53kg event with another record-breaking performance. Didih set Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records in the snatch (93kg), clean and jerk (113kg), and total lift (206kg).

Earlier on Monday, Edidiong Umoafia started Nigeria’s weightlifting gold run by winning the men’s 71kg title with a Commonwealth Games record total of 319kg.

These wins continue Nigeria’s strong presence in weightlifting. The country’s para powerlifters had set the stage for the medal haul in the opening days of the Games.

Nigeria’s first three gold medals came from Esther Nworgu, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, and Riluwan Idris in para powerlifting. Silver medals were also earned by Roland Ezuruike, Esther Oyema, Rita Ferdinand, and weightlifter Ruth Asuquo Nyong.

With athletics, wrestling, boxing, and more weightlifting events still to happen, Team Nigeria’s medal count is set to increase. The country aims for one of its best Commonwealth Games campaigns.