Team Nigeria Strikes Gold Twice, Medal Count Climbs To Nine

Team Nigeria strengthened its impressive campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after weightlifters Edidiong Joseph Umoafia and Onome Didih secured gold medals, while three Nigerian sprinters qualified for the men’s 100m semi-finals.

According to Ireporter Online, Umoafia produced a commanding performance to emerge champion in the men’s 71kg weightlifting event, earning Nigeria its fourth gold medal of the Games. His triumph also marked the country’s second podium finish in weightlifting following Ruth Asuquo Nyong’s silver-medal performance in the women’s 48kg category.

Umoafia began his title-winning effort with a successful 147kg lift in the snatch before matching the highest clean and jerk lift of 172kg, finishing with an overall total of 319kg. Samoa’s John Lautafi Tafi claimed the silver medal with 314kg, while Nauru’s Ezekiel Moses settled for bronze after lifting a combined 310kg.

Nigeria’s celebrations continued when Onome Didih dominated the women’s 53kg event to capture another gold medal in spectacular fashion. The Nigerian weightlifter delivered one of the standout displays of the competition by setting three new Commonwealth Games records.

Didih opened with a record-breaking 93kg in the snatch before lifting another Games record of 113kg in the clean and jerk. Her combined total of 206kg also established a new Commonwealth Games record, sealing a commanding victory ahead of India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav, who finished with 199kg, while Canada’s Rebeka Groulx claimed bronze with 178kg.

The double triumph pushed Nigeria’s overall medal tally to nine, comprising five gold and four silver medals, further underlining the country’s strong showing at the Games.

On the athletics track, Favour Ashe, Nicholas Fakorede and Kanyinsola Ajayi all progressed to the semi-finals of the men’s 100 metres. Ashe impressed by winning his heat in 10.10 seconds, comfortably ahead of Kenya’s Meshack Babu, who finished in 10.21 seconds, while Guyana’s Akeem Stewart placed third with 10.55 seconds.

Fakorede also secured qualification after finishing second in his heat with a time of 10.21 seconds. Lesotho’s Mojela Koneshe won the race in a national record of 10.07 seconds, while Singapore’s Marc Brian Louis finished third with a season’s best of 10.38 seconds.

Ajayi advanced automatically into the semi-finals after receiving a bye and will now compete alongside Ashe and Fakorede for places in Tuesday’s 100m final, with the trio drawn into separate semi-final races as Nigeria continues its quest for more medals in Glasgow.