CWG: Umuofia Wins Nigeria’s Fourth Gold, Sets Weightlifting Record

Edidiong Umuofia delivered a record-breaking performance on Monday to win Nigeria’s fourth gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, after dominating the men’s 71kg weightlifting event.

The 23-year-old produced outstanding displays in both the snatch and clean and jerk categories, finishing with a Games record total of 319 points to secure the gold medal.

Umuofia established his dominance early by lifting 174kg in his second attempt in the snatch, a weight none of his competitors could match.

He maintained the momentum in the clean and jerk discipline, successfully lifting 172kg to seal victory and confirm his status as the Commonwealth champion.

Samoa’s John Tafi finished second to claim the silver medal, while Ezekiel Moses of Nauru settled for bronze after placing third in the competition.

The victory increased Nigeria’s medal tally at the Games to eight, comprising four gold and four silver medals.

Umuofia’s triumph also marked Nigeria’s second medal in the conventional weightlifting competition after Ruth Nyong claimed silver in the women’s 48kg category on Sunday.

Before Umuofia’s success, Nigeria’s first six medals had all come from para-powerlifting, where the country has maintained a strong tradition of excellence at major international competitions.

Meanwhile, Team Nigeria also recorded encouraging performances in athletics on the fourth day of competition.

Sprint star Favour Ashe won his preliminary heat in the men’s 100 metres to qualify for the semi-finals, while Nicolas Fakorede secured qualification after finishing second in his own heat.

Both athletes advanced to Tuesday’s semi-final, where they will be joined by Kayinsola Ajayi, who received an automatic place because of his ranking as one of the leading contenders for the event.

Nigeria’s athletes will continue their quest for more medals across various sports as competition intensifies in Glasgow.

With weightlifting and para-powerlifting already contributing eight medals, attention will now shift to athletics, boxing and other events where Team Nigeria hopes to strengthen its position on the Commonwealth Games medals table before the competition concludes.