Lawal breaks records to win Nigeria’s sixth gold
Weightlifter Rafiatu Lawal delivered a record-breaking performance in the women’s 59kg event, securing Nigeria’s sixth gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Weightlifter Rafiatu Lawal delivered a record-breaking performance at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, securing Nigeria’s sixth gold medal in the women’s 59kg event. Lawal shattered previous Games marks in both snatch and clean-and-jerk, extending Team Nigeria’s podium streak in strength events.
Lawal’s performance adds to Nigeria’s impressive haul in weightlifting. The country has now won six gold medals in the competition, with weightlifting and powerlifting accounting for the majority. Lawal’s record-breaking performance is a testament to the strength of Nigeria’s weightlifting programme.
This echoes the 2022 Commonwealth Games, when Nigeria also dominated weightlifting. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: Nigerian athletes proving they are the best in the world.
The winners: Rafiatu Lawal, who has won gold and broken records; and Team Nigeria, which continues to dominate strength sports. The losers: the athletes who did not win; and the Nigerian public, who have high expectations.
Bottom Line: Nigeria has won its sixth gold medal in Glasgow. Lawal broke records. The weightlifting team is unstoppable. The question is how many more medals Nigeria can win.