Ezuruike wins Nigeria’s first medal in Glasgow
50-year-old Roland Ezuruike won Nigeria’s first medal at the Commonwealth Games, lifting 187kg to take silver in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event.
Roland Ezuruike has won Nigeria’s first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event. The 50-year-old lifted almost four times his body weight to post 187kg on his second attempt and was tied for the gold medal on 153.9 points with Mike Swan of England going into the final lift. However, Ezuruike fouled in his last attempt and had to settle for the silver medal. Swan took the gold despite also failing his last attempt, while Bonnie Gustin of Malaysia finished with a bronze medal.
The silver is a step down from the gold medal Ezuruike won at the same event of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. He also won a gold medal in men’s 54kg powerlifting at the Rio Paralympics in 2016. At 50 years old, Ezuruike is a veteran of the sport, and his performance in Glasgow is a testament to his longevity and dedication.
Ibrahim Dauda, the other Nigerian in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event, finished fifth. In the men’s 3x3 basketball, Nigeria defeated the Cayman Islands 21-17 in their first match of Pool A. The team will play Australia and New Zealand at 5:25 pm and 7 pm, respectively, on Friday. In swimming, Clinton Opute finished sixth in the first heat of the men’s 200m individual medley. Nigeria will expect more medals in para-powerlifting when Folasade Oluwafemiayo competes in the women’s heavyweight event on Friday evening.
Ezuruike’s silver is a strong start for Team Nigeria. The veteran lifter has been a consistent performer for Nigeria, and his medal in Glasgow adds to his impressive collection. The focus now shifts to Oluwafemiayo, who is expected to deliver gold in the women’s heavyweight event.
This echoes the 2018 Commonwealth Games, when Ezuruike also won a medal for Nigeria. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: Nigerian para-powerlifters delivering on the biggest stage.
The winners: Roland Ezuruike, who has won Nigeria’s first medal; and Team Nigeria, which has momentum. The losers: the Nigerian public, who expect more medals; and the athletes who did not win.
Bottom Line: A 50-year-old veteran has won Nigeria’s first medal in Glasgow. He lifted 187kg, almost four times his body weight. That is not a sport. That is a superpower.