Commonwealth Games: Captain Oluwafemiayo smashes world record as Nigeria dominates opening day
July 25, 2026 1:09 am
By Peter Akinbo
Team Nigeria roared into life on the opening day of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Folashade Oluwafemiayo’s world record-breaking gold leading a five-medal haul in para powerlifting as the chased the National Sports Commission’s target of 16-20 gold medals, PETER AKINBO writes
Team Nigeria produced one of the most dominant opening-day performances of any nation at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Friday, headlined by team captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo’s world record-breaking gold in the Women’s heavyweight para-powerlifting event, as the country sat second on the medals table behind Australia after the first day of competition.
As at the time of writing this report, Nigeria closed the day with two gold and three silver medals, trailing only Australia, who topped the table with four gold, two silver and four bronze, and finishing above hosts Scotland, who had two gold and two silver.
All five of Nigeria’s medals came from para powerlifting, underlining the discipline’s continued standing as one of the country’s most reliable sources of Commonwealth glory.
The day’s outstanding performance came from Oluwafemiayo, who lifted 134.8kg to smash the world record and retain her grip on the Women’s Heavyweight title at the SEC Armadillo.
She was immediately followed onto the podium by fellow Nigerian Rita Ferdinand, who lifted 128.2kg to claim silver, a mark that also bettered the previous world record and completed a Nigerian clean sweep of the top two positions. Australia’s Hani Watson took bronze with 111.5kg, ahead of England’s Louise Sugden (106.5kg) and Doaa Shayea (93.3kg), while India’s Kasthuri Rajamani failed to register a successful lift.
The result marked Nigeria’s second one-two finish of the day in para powerlifting, after 24-year-old Esther Nworgu had earlier delivered the country’s first gold medal of the Games in the women’s lightweight category, setting a Games record twice inside ten minutes before completing the title with a winning lift of 123kg for 119 points.
Nworgu, a silver medallist at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, finished ahead of compatriot Esther Oyema, who claimed silver with 115.5 points, while England’s Olivia Broome took bronze with 106.6 points.
In the men’s lightweight category, 50-year-old veteran Roland Ezuruike delivered Nigeria’s first medal of the Games, claiming silver with 153.9 points after narrowly missing gold on a failed final lift, a result that saw England’s Mark Swan take the title on a tiebreak despite both athletes finishing on identical points. Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin settled for bronze.
Nigeria’s opening day was not confined to para powerlifting.
The country made history in 3×3 basketball, recording its first-ever victory in the discipline at the Commonwealth Games with a 21-17 win over the Cayman Islands in their Pool A opener, reaching the winning mark with one minute and 36 seconds still on the clock. National Sports Commission Director-General Bukola Olopade joined players and officials in celebrating the win pitchside.
“This is the kind of start we were hoping for. Congratulations to the team for their fighting spirit and determination. Enjoy this victory, but stay focused because the journey has only just begun. Nigeria believes in you, and we are confident you can achieve even greater success at these Games,” Olopade said.
Elsewhere, Team Nigeria’s day brought mixed fortunes. Swimmer Clinton Opute finished sixth in his heat of the men’s 200m individual medley in two minutes 15.40 seconds, not enough to advance, while boxer Ayomide Foly Hassan was eliminated from the men’s 70kg division following a hard-fought Round of 32 defeat to Lesotho’s Refiloe Thai on a four-nil verdict.
Nigeria’s five medallists have already been rewarded handsomely for their efforts, earning a combined $18,000 dollars, under the National Sports Commission’s enhanced athlete welfare and reward policy, which offers $8,000 for gold, $5,000 for silver and $3,000 for bronze.
Team Nigeria, represented by 74 athletes across ten sports in Glasgow, will look to build on their strong start on Saturday, with the men’s 3×3 basketball team facing Australia and further boxing and swimming action on the schedule, as the National Sports Commission continues its pursuit of a target of between 16 and 20 gold medals. Nigerian boxers alone have secured more than 30 Commonwealth Games medals since the country’s debut in 1950, with Birmingham 2022 yielding four medals, including a silver for Elizabeth Oshoba.
Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories
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