Ruth Nyong Wins Silver as Team Nigeria Endures Mixed Day at Commonwealth Games
Ruth Asuquo Nyong was Team Nigeria’s brightest star on Day Three of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after winning a silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event.
Nyong lifted a total of 168kg, made up of a 75kg snatch and a 93kg clean and jerk, to finish second and give Nigeria its only medal of the day. India’s Mirabai Saikhom won the gold medal with a Commonwealth Games record total of 190kg.
Nigeria came close to another medal in the men’s 65kg weightlifting event. Favour Agboro finished fourth after lifting a total of 279kg. He looked set for bronze after raising 160kg in his final clean and jerk attempt, but the lift was ruled invalid, leaving him just three kilograms short of a podium finish.
In boxing, Khadijat Ajishola was knocked out of the women’s 54kg event after a narrow 3-2 split decision defeat to Wales’ Helen Jones.
Nigeria’s women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team also had a difficult day, losing 17-1 to Wales.
The men’s 3×3 basketball team produced mixed results. They lost 21-16 to hosts Scotland before bouncing back with a thrilling 20-19 win over Guyana. Esosa Okundaye scored a game-high nine points as Nigeria improved to two wins from five matches, keeping their hopes of reaching the next round alive.
With athletics beginning on Monday, Team Nigeria will be hoping to build on Nyong’s silver medal and add more medals to their Commonwealth Games campaign.
