Nigerian Athletes Shine with Record-Breaking Gold Medals

Team Nigeria's amazing performance at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games continued on Monday. Rafiatu Folashade Lawal won gold in the women's 58kg weightlifting event. This win brought Nigeria's total to six gold and four silver medals. Edidiong Joseph Umoafia and Onome Omolola Didih also won gold earlier in the day, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

Lawal was in control from the start. She opened with a 103kg snatch, giving her a nine-kilogram lead over Canada's Ann-Sophie Taschereau. Lawal sealed her win with a 126kg clean and jerk, finishing with a total of 229kg. This set a new Commonwealth Games record.

Taschereau finished with silver, lifting a total of 215kg after a 121kg clean and jerk. India's Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam took home the bronze with a total of 199kg.

Umoafia set the pace for Nigeria earlier in the day. He won gold in the men's 71kg event with a combined lift of 319kg, which is also a new Commonwealth Games record. Umoafia started with a 147kg snatch and matched the best clean and jerk with 172kg. Samoa's John Lautafi Tafi matched Umoafia's clean and jerk lift but ended up with silver, totaling 314kg. Ezekiel Moses from Nauru took the bronze with 310kg.

Didih followed up with a strong performance, winning gold in the women's 53kg event. She opened with a 93kg snatch, setting a new Commonwealth and Games record. Didih finished with a clean and jerk that brought her total to 206kg, another Games record. India's Gyaneshwari Yadav earned silver with 199kg, which also surpassed the previous Games record. Canada’s Rebeka Groulx took bronze with 178kg.

South Africa’s Johanni Taljaard came in fourth with 175kg. She was followed by Jenly Tegu Wini from the Solomon Islands with 172kg, Singapore’s Jiin Linn Chua with 168kg, England’s Noorin Gulam with 167kg, and Malta’s Kim Camilleri Lagana with 166kg. Both Australia’s Brenna Mae Kean and Papua New Guinea’s Loa Dika Toua could not finish their lifts.

Monday's success added to what has become one of Nigeria's best weightlifting campaigns in Commonwealth Games history. This follows Ruth Asuquo Nyong’s silver in the women’s 48kg event. Favour Agboro narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in the men’s 65kg.

Now, Nigeria's weightlifting count stands at three gold and one silver. This adds to a strong showing in para powerlifting, where Esther Nworgu, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, and Riluwan Idris have all won gold. Esther Oyema, Roland Ezuruike, and Rita Ferdinand each took home silver.

These recent victories have sparked celebrations in the Nigerian camp. The athletics program is also gaining momentum as Team Nigeria aims to build on what is shaping up to be one of its most successful Commonwealth Games ever.