GLASGOW, SCOTLAND —Team Nigeria’s campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games gained significant momentum today, highlighted by a silver-winning performance in Para Powerlifting and a historic debut victory on the 3×3 Basketball court.
Paralympian Roland Ezuruike delivered a stellar performance in the Men’s Lightweight Group A Para Powerlifting event, finishing with a total of 153.9 points to claim silver. He narrowly missed out on gold after an ambitious final attempt at a Games Record lift of 190kg.
In direct line with the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) enhanced performance-based reward policy, Ezuruike was immediately presented with an instant cash reward of $2,000. Furthermore, the podium finish qualifies him for an additional $2,000 performance bonus, bringing his total payout to $4,000. This immediate financial incentive serves as a clear demonstration of the Commission’s commitment to rewarding excellence and motivating Nigerian athletes on the global stage.
Team Nigeria also made history on the court, recording its first-ever victory in 3×3 Basketball at the Commonwealth Games with a hard-fought 21-17 win over the Cayman Islands.
Esosa Okundaye and Ikechukwu “Ike” Nwamu led the Nigerian offense with six points each. The team displayed composure and resilience to secure the landmark win. Reflecting on the match, Nwamu credited their rigorous training camp:
“It was a great match. We fought hard, and our preparations paid off as we won Nigeria’s first game in 3×3 basketball at the Commonwealth Games. Playing for Nigeria means a lot to me, and every opportunity I have to represent my country means everything. We thank the National Sports Commission for allowing us to prepare properly. We trained with the Netherlands national team, who won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and that preparation really helped us.”
The team returns to action later today against Australia before concluding the group stage against New Zealand as they push for a spot in the knockout rounds.
In the boxing ring, Ayomide Foly Hassan bowed out in the Round of 32 following a closely contested bout against Refiloe Thai. Despite a strong performance where Hassan appeared to edge the contest, the judges ultimately awarded a narrow decision to his opponent.
Attention now shifts to a busy evening schedule as several Nigerian medal hopefuls prepare to compete:
Women’s Lightweight Para Powerlifting : Esther Oyema and Esther Nworgu
Women’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting : Reigning world champion Rita Ferdinand and multiple Paralympic/Commonwealth champion Folashade Oluwafemiayo
Men’s Heavyweight Para Powerlifting : Rilwan Idris
Men’s 68kg Boxing : Abdulramon Abdulwahab
