Team Nigeria Enjoys Strong Opening Day at 2026 Commonwealth Games with World Record and Five-Medal Haul

Team Nigeria surged into second place on the medal standings on the opening day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, driven by a dominant performance in para powerlifting that yielded two gold and three silver medals.

The highlight of the day came from team captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo, who smashed the world record in the women’s heavyweight para powerlifting event with a 134.8kg lift to retain her title. Compatriot Rita Ferdinand took the silver medal with a 128.2kg lift—also surpassing the previous world record—to secure a one-two finish for Nigeria ahead of Australia’s Hani Watson, who claimed bronze.

Earlier in the day, 24-year-old Esther Nworgu delivered Nigeria’s first gold medal of the Games in the women’s lightweight category, breaking the Games record twice before securing victory with a 123kg lift. Teammate Esther Oyema took silver, completing another top-two sweep for the country. In the men’s lightweight category, veteran lifter Roland Ezuruike earned Nigeria’s first overall medal of the competition, securing silver after finishing tied on points with England’s Mark Swan, who won gold on a tiebreak.

Beyond powerlifting, Nigeria achieved a historic milestone in 3×3 basketball, securing its first-ever Commonwealth Games victory in the discipline with a 21-17 win over the Cayman Islands in their Pool A opener.

The day brought mixed results in other events, as swimmer Clinton Opute failed to advance after finishing sixth in his 200m individual medley heat, while boxer Ayomide Foly Hassan lost his Round of 32 bout in the men’s 70kg category.

Following the opening day, Nigeria sits second on the overall medal table behind Australia, as the nation’s 74-athlete contingent continues its campaign toward the National Sports Commission’s target of 16 to 20 gold medals.