Nigeria’s Folashade Lawal has set a new Commonwealth Games record in the women’s 58kg weightlifting event to win gold.
This has remarkably increased Team Nigeria’s medal haul to 10 medals —comprising six gold and four silver medals.
The 2025 World Championship silver medalist took a commanding lead in the competition after lifting a Games record 103kg in the snatch, finishing the discipline nine kilograms ahead of the rest of the field.
However, Canada’s Ann Taschereau and India’s Devi Sorokhaibam briefly pushed Lawal down to third place as the clean and jerk event got underway.
The 29-year-old Nigerian responded in emphatic fashion, successfully lifting 126kg in the clean and jerk for a combined total of 229kg, setting another Commonwealth Games record in the women’s 58kg category to secure the gold medal.
Earlier, Nigeria’s Edidiong Umoafia opened Team Nigeria’s account on Day Five of competition by winning the men’s 71kg weightlifting gold medal with a Games record total of 319kg.
Also, Onome Didih claimed gold in the women’s 53kg event, setting another Games record with a total lift of 206kg, as Nigeria dominated the weightlifting competition on Monday with three gold medals.
Reacting to the outstanding performances, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, described the team’s outing as encouraging and commended the athletes for their impressive start to the Games.
Team Nigeria will return to action later today in weightlifting, athletics, and 3×3 basketball as the country looks to add to its growing medal tally.
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(Editor: Ken Eseni)
