Nigeria Dominates Para Powerlifting In Glasgow

Nigeria announced itself as one of the standout nations on the opening day of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, producing a sensational display in Para powerlifting that yielded two gold medals, four podium finishes, multiple world records and Commonwealth Games records.

The country’s impressive campaign was highlighted by commanding performances in both the women’s lightweight and heavyweight events, while veteran Roland Ezuruike came agonisingly close to adding another Commonwealth title to his decorated career.

The day’s opening event delivered one of the most dramatic finishes in recent Commonwealth Games history. Ezuruike narrowly missed out on gold in the men’s lightweight competition after finishing level on 153.9 points with England’s Mark Swan. The English lifter was awarded the title after edging Ezuruike by the finest of margins on a decimal-point tie-break.

The heartbreaking defeat denied the 50-year-old Nigerian a second Commonwealth Games crown after his triumph at the Gold Coast Games in 2018. Malaysia’s defending champion Bonnie Bunyau Gustin settled for bronze despite producing a 220kg lift.

But Nigeria quickly bounced back in the women’s lightweight category, where Esther Nworgu delivered a dominant performance to win gold. Nworgu rewrote the Commonwealth Games record twice on her way to the title, underlining her superiority throughout the competition.

Esther Oyema completed a memorable one-two finish by taking silver, marking a successful return to the Commonwealth podium eight years after winning gold and setting a world record at the Gold Coast 2018 Games. Nigeria’s dominance continued in the women’s heavyweight division as Folashade Oluwafemiayo produced another historic performance. The reigning star broke the women’s +86kg world record twice before sealing victory with a remarkable lift of 175kg to claim Nigeria’s second gold medal of the day.

Rita Ferdinand added another silver medal to Nigeria’s impressive tally after setting a new world record in the +79kg category with a lift of 158kg. Australia’s Hani Watson completed the podium with bronze.

Beyond the medal haul, Nigeria’s performances also highlighted the impact of the Commonwealth Sport GAPS (Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain) programme. Nworgu, Oyema and Ferdinand have all participated in GAPS training camps, with Nworgu and Ferdinand attending the pre-Games camp in Ayr, while Oluwafemiayo is also a former participant.

The quartet’s success provided a strong endorsement of the athlete development initiative, demonstrating how sustained support can translate into record-breaking performances on the Commonwealth Games stage.

With two gold medals, two silver medals, multiple world records and Commonwealth Games records secured on the opening day, Nigeria has made an emphatic statement of intent and positioned itself among the early pace-setters at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Source: Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Author: Joyce Owusu