Olopade eyes eight athletics gold in Glasgow
July 27, 2026 3:35 am
Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, is optimistic Team Nigeria’s athletics contingent can deliver between seven and eight gold medals as track and field events begin at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Monday (today), The PUNCH reports.
Athletics gets underway with Nigeria represented in the men’s and women’s 100m heats, as well as the women’s hammer throw and women’s F57 para shot put.
Reigning national champion Favour Ashe and Fakorede Adekalu will lead Nigeria’s challenge in the men’s 100m heats as they bid to secure places in the semi-finals. Miracle Ezechukwu will compete in the women’s 100m heats, while Sade Olatoye will feature in the women’s hammer throw and Eucharia Iyiazi will contest the women’s F57 para shot put.
Speaking in Glasgow, Olopade expressed confidence in the country’s medal prospects, saying the projections of the NSC’s elite board indicate Nigeria remains on course for a successful outing.
“So far, so good. If the projections of the elite board are anything to go by, we are still on track. I was with the athletics team and the spirit is very high. We are hoping for about seven to eight gold medals there,” Olopade said.
“Beyond all of this, I am very proud of the athletes and the officials I have worked with over the last one and a half years. It is so obvious that Nigeria can stand firm and be counted. I am happy to hear that so many people are saying they see an identity in our sports.”
Olopade also reiterated the commission’s commitment to athlete welfare, describing it as a key pillar of the current administration.
“When we said athletes’ welfare was number one, it is because we knew where we were coming from. It is very demoralising when athletes don’t get the feeling that they are appreciated. It is about patriotism, but it is also about rewards,” he added.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria added another medal to its tally on Sunday after weightlifter Ruth Nyong staged a dramatic comeback to claim silver in the women’s 48kg event.
Nyong, who finished third in the snatch with a personal best lift of 75kg, missed her first two clean and jerk attempts at 93kg before successfully completing the lift on her final attempt to secure the silver medal.
She finished with a total lift of 168kg, behind India’s Mirabai Chanu, while Malaysia’s Irene Henry claimed the bronze medal.
Nigeria’s lifters have won three gold and four silver medals before the close of the event on Sunday.
Abiodun, who reports Sports for PUNCH, covers different tiers of the Nigerian football league, the national teams, as well as cricket, in the last six years
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