TEAM Nigeria ended the first full day of competition in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland with a splash of gold in the powerlifting event.
Folashade Oluwafemiayo, Esther Nwogu and Riluwan Idris all bagged gold in their para-powerlifting categories, while there were also two world records for Team Nigeria.
The legendary Oluwafemiayo lifted 175kg to set a new world record in the women’s heavyweight category, and amassed a points total of 134.8 to win gold.
Nworgu had earlier opened the floodgates by winning the gold medal in the women’s lightweight category with 119 points, finishing ahead of her compatriot Esther Oyema, and England’s Olivia Broome.
The third gold medal of the evening for Team Nigeria was claimed by Idris in men’s heavyweight para powerlifting. He lifted a massive 208kg.
Competing at a body weight of just 86kg, Idris scored 132.8 points to edge England’s Matthew Harding, who lifted 199kg to score 131.0 points, and Malaysia’s Nicodemus Moses, who completed the podium with 120.3 points.
The second world record for Team Nigeria was set by Rita Ferdinand, who lifted 158kg but finished with silver behind Oluwafemiayo in the women’s heavyweight division.
Earlier, Roland Ezuruike won Nigeria’s first medal at the Glasgow Games in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event.
The 50-year-old lifted almost four times his body weight to post 187kg on his second attempt and was tied for the gold medal on 153.9 points with Mike Swan of England going into the final lift.
