By Fayobi Adedoyin
Nigeria’s weightlifters have continued their commanding run at the ongoing 2026 African Senior Weightlifting Championships and 16th Mediterranean Cup in Ismaila, Egypt, after two days of competition with an outstanding return of 10 gold and five silver medals.
The championships, which also serve as qualifiers for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, have witnessed Nigeria emerge as one of the strongest teams in the competition, with the country’s women lifters once again delivering dominant performances across multiple weight categories.
Ruth Nyong Asuquo, Onome Omolola Didih and Rafiat Afolashade Lawal spearheaded Nigeria’s impressive campaign, with each athlete securing three gold medals in their respective divisions to account for nine of the country’s 10 gold medals so far in Egypt as at the second day of hostilities.
Competing in the women’s 48kg category, Ruth Nyong Asuquo produced a confident and dominant display from start to finish. The Nigerian lifter claimed gold in all three events after outperforming her rivals in the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall total.
Nyong lifted 74kg in the snatch to finish comfortably ahead of Madagascar’s Tendry Tsiky Mahavy Rakotonoely, who settled for silver with 60kg, while Tunisia’s Maissa Khadhraoui claimed bronze with 59kg.
She followed it up with another strong performance in the clean and jerk, successfully clearing 93kg to win her second gold medal ahead of Khadhraoui’s 78kg and Rakotonoely’s 76kg. Her combined total of 167kg earned her a third gold medal, with Tunisia taking silver on 137kg and Madagascar finishing with bronze on 136kg.
Nigeria’s dominance continued in the women’s 53kg category through Onome Omolola Didih, who controlled the event from the opening lifts and secured gold medals across all three sections.
Didih lifted 87kg in the snatch to finish ahead of Egypt’s representative on 79kg, while South Africa secured bronze with 75kg. In the clean and jerk, the Nigerian successfully lifted 105kg to secure another gold medal, edging both Egypt and South Africa, who each managed 98kg.
Her overall total of 192kg sealed a third gold medal, comfortably ahead of Egypt’s 177kg and South Africa’s 173kg.
Rafiat Afolashade Lawal also extended Nigeria’s golden run in the women’s 58kg division, where she secured another clean sweep of three gold medals to further underline Nigeria’s superiority in the women’s events and strengthen the country’s qualification push for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
In the men’s 65kg category, Favour Omovigho Agboro delivered one of Nigeria’s most competitive outings of the championships.
Although Egypt’s Mohamed Mahmoud Noureldin finished top overall, Agboro impressed with his consistency and resilience to win one gold medal and two silver medals.
Agboro lifted 123kg in the snatch to finish second behind Noureldin’s 132kg, while Tunisia’s Mohamed Amine Bouhajba took bronze with 121kg.
The Nigerian responded strongly in the clean and jerk, lifting 157kg to claim gold ahead of the Egyptian’s 156kg, while Tunisia finished third with 146kg. Agboro’s combined total of 280kg earned him another silver medal, with Noureldin winning the overall gold on 288kg and Tunisia taking bronze with 267kg.
Nigeria also secured another podium finish through Ruth Imoleayo Ayodele in the women’s 63kg category, where she produced a composed performance to win three silver medals.
Ayodele lifted 90kg in the snatch to finish narrowly behind Tunisia’s Chaina Rahmouni, who recorded 91kg. The Nigerian added another silver medal in the clean and jerk after lifting 110kg, just one kilogram behind the Tunisian athlete once again.
Her total lift also earned her a silver medal after finishing only two kilograms behind Rahmouni, while Madagascar’s Soloniaina Randriamparany claimed the bronze medals in the category.
The Nigeria Weightlifting Federation under the leadership of its President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, sincerely appreciates the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, for their immense support and encouragement towards Team Nigeria’s participation at the ongoing African Senior Weightlifting Championships in Ismaila, Egypt.
“Your unwavering commitment to sports development continues to inspire Nigerian athletes to excel and make the nation proud on the international stage,” Dr Abdul stated to NWF Media.
10 athletes are representing the country in Ismaila, Egypt with the remaining three men and two women expected to secure more medals for Nigeria at the rest of the championships.
