Team Nigeria enjoyed another memorable day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after weightlifters Edidiong Joseph Umoafia and Onome Didih claimed gold medals, while three sprinters advanced to the men’s 100m semi-finals.
Umoafia delivered a dominant display to win the men’s 71kg weightlifting title, handing Nigeria its fourth gold medal of the Games and a second podium finish in the sport after Ruth Asuquo Nyong’s silver in the women’s 48kg event on Sunday.
The Nigerian lifter opened with an impressive 147kg in the snatch before matching the best lift of 172kg in the clean and jerk to finish with a winning total of 319kg.
Samoa’s John Lautafi Tafi took silver with a combined lift of 314kg, while Nauru’s Ezekiel Moses settled for bronze on 310kg.
Nigeria’s medal haul later received another boost when Didih stormed to victory in the women’s 53kg category, producing one of the standout performances of the competition.
The Nigerian was in complete control throughout the contest, breaking three Commonwealth Games records on her way to the title.
She lifted a record 93kg in the snatch before setting another Games record with 113kg in the clean and jerk. Her combined total of 206kg also established a new Commonwealth Games record.
India’s Gyaneshwari Yadav finished second with a total of 199kg, while Canada’s Rebeka Groulx claimed bronze after lifting 178kg.
Didih’s triumph came just hours after Umoafia’s success and lifted Team Nigeria’s overall tally to nine medals, made up of five gold and four silver medals.
On the track, Favour Ashe, Nicholas Fakorede and Kanyinsola Ajayi all secured places in the men’s 100m semi-finals.
Ashe looked sharp as he won his heat in 10.10 seconds, comfortably ahead of Kenya’s Meshack Babu, who clocked 10.21s, while Guyana’s Akeem Stewart finished third in 10.55s.
Fakorede also progressed after placing second in his heat with a time of 10.21s. Lesotho’s Mojela Koneshe won the race in a national record 10.07s, while Singapore’s Marc Brian Louis finished third with a season’s best of 10.38s.
Ajayi advanced automatically after receiving a bye into the semi-finals.
The Nigerian trio will now compete for places in Tuesday’s 100m final, with Ashe drawn in the first semi-final, Ajayi in the second and Fakorede in the third.
