Nigeria wins first Commonwealth Games medal Ezuruike silver

Team Nigeria has secured its first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, with para powerlifter Roland Ezuruike winning a silver medal in the men's lightweight event on July 24. The 50-year-old athlete lifted 187 kilograms on his second attempt but fouled his final lift, finishing behind England's Mark Swan, who took the gold medal.

Ezuruike's performance on the opening day of the para powerlifting competition provided an immediate boost to the Nigerian contingent's medal ambitions. His silver medal adds to a distinguished career that includes a gold medal in the same event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a Paralympic gold from Rio 2016. The other Nigerian competitor in the event, Ibrahim Dauda, finished in fifth place.

The achievement reinforces Nigeria's established strength in para powerlifting, a discipline where the country has consistently produced world-class athletes and won medals at major international competitions. Officials and teammates celebrated the result as a morale booster for the wider team, which is competing across ten sports including athletics, boxing, judo, swimming, weightlifting, and basketball.

In other early results for Team...