Esther Nworgu on Friday won the first gold medal for Team Nigeria at the ongoing 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Nworgu achieved the feat after lifting 123kg to score 119 points and claim the women’s para powerlifting lightweight title.
Shortly after the event, Nworgu got a $3,000 instant cash reward and $5,000 paid directly into her account as a bonus promised by the Federal Government.
Interestingly, Nworgu capped the day when she set two Games Records apart from the gold medal.
The podium was dominated by Nigeria as her compatriot, Esther Oyema, settled for the silver medal in the women’s lightweight event.
Oyema claimed the silver with a lift of 125kg and 115.5 points, while England’s Olivia Broome took the bronze with 119kg and 106.6 points.
The Edo State-born Oyema, who won a gold medal at London 2012, got $2,000 instant cash reward and $3,000 paid directly into her account by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
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Meanwhile, Nigeria’s boxer, Ayomide Folly Hassan, lost to Refiloe Thai of Lesotho in the men’s 70kg round of 32 bout to crash out of the Games.
The keenly contested bout at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Centre, Glasgow, ended in favour of Thai as the judges’ scorecard awarded the fight to him 4-0 on points.
It was also a sad story for another Nigerian boxer, AbdulRamon AbdulWahab as he lost 0-5 on points to Batte Nuhu of Uganda in the men’s 65kg preliminary bout decided in the evening.
Today, Nigeria’s Akintola David will face Tanzanian Changalawe Yusuf Lucasi in the men’s 80kg preliminary bout, while Ajishola Kadijat, drawn bye, will step into the ring in the women’s 54kg round of 16 bout with Helen Jones of Wales tomorrow.
Nigerian-British-born Patricia Mbata will begin her campaign on Tuesday when she trades punches with Smith Mary Kane of England in the women’s 75kg quarter-final bout.
While Orakwe Blessing will make her debut when she faces Pergoliti Lekeisha of Australia in the women’s 70kg quarter-final bout.
