Commonwealth 2026: Nigeria finishes first day second after winning medals in para powerlifting

By: Akande David

Team Nigeria finished the first day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in second place on the medal table after an impressive performance by its para powerlifting team, winning six medals, three gold and three silver.

Roland Ezuruike won Nigeria’s first medal of the Games after taking silver in the men’s lightweight Group A event with 153.9 points. The veteran came close to breaking a record at the Games, but failed to complete a 190kg lift on his final attempt.

Nigeria’s first gold came thanks to Esther Nworgu, who lifted 123kg to win the women’s lightweight event with 119 points, while Esther Oyema added silver to complete a Nigerian double.

Folashade Oluwafemiayo continued Nigeria’s dominance by breaking her own world record twice before lifting 175kg to set a new all-time world record and secure gold in the women’s heavyweight event. Rita Ferdinand also entered the record books after lifting 158kg to win silver and set a new world record in her weight category.

Riluwan Idris completed Nigeria’s medal tally with gold in the men’s heavyweight event after a successful 208kg lift that earned him 132.8 points.

On the basketball court, the Nigerian men’s 3×3 team opened its campaign with a 21-17 victory over the Cayman Islands as Esosa Okundaye and Ikechukwu Nwamu scored six points each. The team, however, suffered consecutive defeats against Australia and New Zealand, but remains in contention with more group stage matches left to play.

There was disappointment in boxing when Ayomide Foly Hassan retired in the round of 32 after a narrow loss to Lesotho’s Refiloe Thai.

Swimmer Clinton Opute also missed out on qualifying after finishing sixth in his men’s 200m individual medley heat in a time of 2:15.40.

Nigeria closes the opening day of the competition with six medals, three gold and three silver, all in weightlifting as the team set an early marker in Glasgow.