Riluwan Idris clinched the gold medal in the Men’s Heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, further strengthening Team Nigeria’s dominance in the sport, Trybal News reports.
Idris produced a composed and commanding performance to finish with 132.8 points, edging England’s Matthew Harding, who claimed silver with 131.0 points. Malaysia’s Nicodemus Manggoi Moses completed the podium with 120.3 points, while defending Commonwealth champion Sudhir of India finished fourth with 114.1 points.
The Nigerian lifter held his nerve under pressure to deliver the decisive lift that secured the Commonwealth title, sparking celebrations among the Nigerian contingent at the SEC Armadillo.
Idris victory takes Team Nigeria’s para powerlifting medal haul to three gold and three silver medals on the opening day of competition. Earlier, Esther Nworgu claimed gold in the Women’s Lightweight event with a Commonwealth Games record, while Folashade Oluwafemiayo won the Women’s Heavyweight title in world-record fashion. Rita Ferdinand, Esther Oyema, and Roland Ezuruike added silver medals to complete Nigeria’s six-medal haul.
The impressive return once again highlights Nigeria’s status as one of the world’s leading para powerlifting nations, with the team making a dominant start to its Glasgow 2026 campaign.
