Team Nigeria is ready to keep up its strong start at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Saturday. Athletes will compete in swimming, wheelchair basketball, and boxing.
Nigeria had a fantastic first day, winning six medals and moving into second place on the medals table. The medals came from para powerlifting, where the country bagged three golds and three silvers.
Esther Nworgu won Nigeria’s first gold in the women’s lightweight event, while Esther Oyema finished second, giving Nigeria a one-two finish. Team captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo also won gold in the women’s heavyweight category after setting a new world record with a lift of 175kg. Rita Ferdinand impressed too, winning silver with a world-record lift of 158kg.
Riluwan Idris capped off a great day by winning the men’s heavyweight title. Veteran Roland Ezuruike also made history, winning Nigeria’s first medal of the Games with a silver in the men’s lightweight event.
After this success in para powerlifting, attention now shifts to the swimming events. Abduljabar Adama will compete in the men’s 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly heats. Clinton Opute will also race in the men’s 50m freestyle, while Collin Obi Ebincha will line up in the men’s 100m butterfly. Dorcas Oka will represent Nigeria in the women’s 100m breaststroke.
Later, Nigeria’s women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team will start their campaign against hosts Scotland in Group B. In boxing, David Akintola will kick off his challenge in the men’s 80kg event during the preliminary round, aiming to move to the next stage.
Nigeria also showed some promise in men’s 3×3 basketball on Friday, winning one of their three games with a 21-17 victory over the Cayman Islands. But not everything went well; Ayomide Foly Hassan was knocked out of the men’s 70kg boxing event.
With spirits high after a great opening day, Team Nigeria is looking for more strong performances as the Glasgow Games continue.
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