Nigeria’s Edidiong Joseph Umoafia delivered a commanding performance to win the men’s 71kg weightlifting gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding another major success to Team Nigeria’s impressive campaign, Trybal News reports.
Umoafia dominated the competition with a snatch of 147kg before producing 172kg in the clean and jerk to finish with a winning total of 319kg, comfortably securing the top spot on the podium.
The Nigerian lifter laid the foundation for victory by topping the snatch standings and maintained his composure in the clean and jerk, matching the highest lift of the session to seal the gold medal.
Samoa’s John Lautafi Tafi claimed the silver medal after recording a total of 314kg, while Nauru’s Ezekiel Moses completed the podium with 310kg to take bronze.
The triumph increases Team Nigeria’s gold medal tally to four and takes the nation’s overall medal count to eight, further highlighting its impressive start to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Nigeria has now amassed four gold and four silver medals, with weightlifting continuing to be one of the country’s strongest events after the remarkable performances of its para powerlifting team earlier in the Games.
Umoafia’s latest success was warmly celebrated by teammates and officials, as Team Nigeria continues to build momentum with more medal opportunities still ahead in Glasgow.
