Veteran para-powerlifter Roland Ezuruike has secured Nigeria’s first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, winning silver in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting event.
Gatekeepers News reports that the 50-year-old produced an impressive performance, lifting 187kg—almost four times his body weight—on his second attempt to move into a tie for the gold medal on 153.9 points with England’s Mike Swan heading into the final round.
Ezuruike, however, failed on his final lift, allowing Swan to claim the gold medal despite also missing his last attempt. Malaysia’s Bonnie Gustin completed the podium with the bronze medal.
The silver medal marks a slight drop from Ezuruike’s gold-medal triumph in the same event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Ezuruike is also a Paralympic champion, having won gold in the men’s 54kg powerlifting event at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Fellow Nigerian Ibrahim Dauda finished fifth in the men’s lightweight para-powerlifting competition.
Elsewhere, Nigeria made a winning start in the men’s 3×3 basketball tournament, defeating the Cayman Islands 21-17 in their opening Pool A fixture.
The team is scheduled to face Australia at 5:25 p.m. before taking on New Zealand at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
In swimming, Clinton Opute placed sixth in the opening heat of the men’s 200m individual medley.
Nigeria will be hoping to add to its medal haul later on Friday when world champion Folasade Oluwafemiayo competes in the women’s heavyweight para-powerlifting event.
