Oluwafemiayo breaks world record as Nigeria wins 5 medals

Team Nigeria captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo broke the world record in the Women’s Heavyweight para-powerlifting event, headlining a dominant 5-medal opening-day haul.

Team Nigeria captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo delivered a sensational performance on the opening day of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, breaking the world record in the Women’s Heavyweight para-powerlifting event with a 134.8kg lift. Her gold medal headlined a dominant 5-medal opening-day haul for Nigeria in powerlifting, placing the country second on the overall medal table.

Oluwafemiayo’s performance is a reminder of Nigeria’s dominance in para-powerlifting. The country has consistently produced world-class athletes in the sport, and the Commonwealth Games are a showcase for that talent.

This echoes the 2018 Commonwealth Games, when Nigeria also dominated para-powerlifting. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: Nigerian athletes proving they are the best in the world.

The winners: Oluwafemiayo, who has broken a world record; and Team Nigeria, which has started strongly. The losers: the athletes who did not win; and the Nigerian public, who have high expectations.

Bottom Line: Nigeria has five medals on day one. Oluwafemiayo broke a world record. The Commonwealth Games are off to a strong start. The question is whether the momentum will continue.