Commonwealth Games 2026: Ezuruike Wins Silver, Hands Nigeria First Medal of the Games

Nigeria has opened its medal account at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with weightlifter Ezuruike claiming a silver medal to give Team Nigeria its first podium finish of the competition.

The Nigerian athlete delivered an impressive performance, successfully completing his opening lifts to stay in contention for the gold medal before making one final push for victory.

Ezuruike attempted a 190kg lift in his last effort, hoping to set a new Commonwealth Games record and secure the top prize. However, the ambitious lift proved just beyond his reach, leaving him to settle for second place.

Despite missing out on gold, his performance earned him a total of 153.9 points from two successful lifts, enough to secure the silver medal and put Nigeria on the medals table.

The achievement marks an encouraging start for Team Nigeria, which is competing across several sporting disciplines at this year’s Commonwealth Games.

Ezuruike’s podium finish is expected to boost the confidence of the Nigerian contingent as more athletes prepare to compete in their respective events in pursuit of additional medals.

With the competition still in its early stages, Team Nigeria will be hoping to build on the momentum generated by Ezuruike’s success and improve its standing on the overall medals table.