By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
Team Nigeria launched its Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games campaign in spectacular fashion on Friday, winning six medals three gold and three silver while rewriting multiple records to announce itself as one of the early stars of the competition.
Nigeria’s para powerlifting team once again demonstrated its dominance on the world stage, producing a string of outstanding performances that included two world records and a series of Commonwealth Games record-breaking lifts.
Paralympian Roland Ezuruike opened Nigeria’s medal account with a silver medal in the men’s lightweight Group A event after scoring 153.9 points.
Ezuruike came within touching distance of gold but narrowly missed a Commonwealth Games record attempt of 190kg on his final lift.
The gold rush began in the women’s lightweight category, where Esther Nworgu delivered Nigeria’s first gold medal of the Games.
Nworgu lifted 123kg to score 119 points, breaking the Commonwealth Games record before surpassing her own mark less than 10 minutes later in a commanding display.
Veteran Esther Oyema completed a memorable Nigerian one-two finish by claiming silver with a successful 125kg lift for 115.5 points.
Team Nigeria captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo then produced one of the defining moments of the day.
The reigning Paralympic and Commonwealth champion shattered her own world record with a 172kg lift before returning to raise the bar even higher with a stunning 175kg effort, setting a new world record for the second time in the same competition to secure Nigeria’s second gold medal.
Rita Ferdinand added another historic moment by breaking the women’s up to 79kg world record with a remarkable 158kg lift, surpassing the previous mark of 154kg to claim silver.
Riluwan Idris completed Nigeria’s golden evening by winning the men’s heavyweight title.
Lifting an impressive 208kg, Idris scored 132.8 points to edge England’s Matthew Harding and hand Nigeria its third gold medal of the opening day.
The athletes were also rewarded under the National Sports Commission’s enhanced incentive programme, with medal winners receiving instant cash bonuses in recognition of their performances.
Away from the powerlifting arena, Nigeria’s men’s 3×3 basketball team suffered its first defeat of the tournament, losing 21-15 to Australia after making history with the country’s first-ever Commonwealth Games victory in the event against the Cayman Islands.
Ikechukwu Nwamu scored nine points as the team shifted focus to a crucial group-stage encounter against New Zealand.
There was disappointment in boxing, where Abdulramon Abdulwahab exited the men’s 65kg competition following a unanimous 5-0 defeat to Uganda’s Nuhu Batte in the Round of 32.
With six medals already secured and multiple records broken on the opening day, Team Nigeria has made a powerful statement and will look to build on the momentum as the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games continue.
