By Ado Salisu
Team Nigeria continued its impressive campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Monday, producing a memorable Day Four performance highlighted by three gold medals in weightlifting and strong displays on the athletics track as the country’s medal haul gathered momentum in Glasgow, Scotland.
Edidiong Joseph Umoafia set the tone by winning gold in the men’s 71kg weightlifting event with a Commonwealth Games record total of 319kg. He lifted a Games record 147kg in the snatch before adding 172kg in the clean and jerk to finish ahead of Samoa’s Joseph Tafi (314kg) and Nauru’s Elgin Moses (310kg). The victory earned Nigeria its fourth gold medal of the Games.
Nigeria’s dominance continued in the women’s 53kg event, where Onome Didih delivered another record-breaking performance to secure the country’s fifth gold medal. She set new Commonwealth Games records in the snatch (93kg), clean and jerk (113kg) and total lift (206kg). India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav claimed silver with a total of 199kg, while Canada’s Rebeka Groulx took bronze with 178kg.
Rafiatu Folashade Lawal completed Nigeria’s weightlifting gold sweep in the women’s 58kg event, clinching the country’s sixth gold medal with another record-breaking display.
Lawal established new Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records in the snatch (103kg), clean and jerk (126kg) and total lift (229kg), finishing 14kg clear of Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau, who settled for silver with 215kg.
In line with the National Sports Commission’s incentive package, each gold medallist received an instant cash reward of $5,000, alongside an additional $5,000 performance bonus paid directly into their accounts.
On the track, Team Nigeria’s sprinters also made an encouraging start, securing multiple semifinal places in the men’s and women’s 100 metres.
Favour Ashe comfortably won the opening heat of the men’s 100m in 10.10 seconds (+1.5) to qualify for Tuesday’s semifinals.
Nicholas Fakorede followed with a second-place finish in Heat 10, clocking 10.21 seconds (+1.4) behind Lesotho’s Mojela Koneshe, whose winning time of 10.07 seconds set a new national record. Fakorede joins Ashe and national record holder Kayinsola Ajayi, who received a bye, in the semifinal lineup.
In the women’s 100m, 17-year-old Commonwealth Games debutant Miracle Ezechukwu announced herself in style by winning her heat from lane eight in 11.32 seconds (-1.5). She finished ahead of Barbados’ Kishawna Niles and Ghana’s Deborah Acheampong to qualify automatically for the semifinals.
Ezechukwu will be joined by Blessing Ogundiran and Rosemary Chukwuma, giving Nigeria three representatives in the women’s semifinals.
In the women’s hammer throw, Sade Olatoye endured a difficult outing, finishing 10th in Group A with a best throw of 62.75m, achieved on her second attempt after recording two fouls in three throws.
With six gold medals already secured and more medal events still to come, Team Nigeria remains firmly on course to strengthen its medal tally at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
