Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025: Nigeria Duo Bags Three Gold Medals In India

Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025: Nigeria Duo Bags Three Gold Medals In India

Precious Oham

Nigeria’s remarkable outing at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad, India, hit new heights on Thursday, August 28, 2025, as Islamiyat Yusuf (women’s 69kg), Sarah Matthew (women’s junior and senior 77kg), and Adedapo Adeleke Opadeji (men’s 79kg) combined to deliver three glittering gold medals and a bronze, firmly placing Team Nigeria in the global spotlight, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Islamiyat produced a flawless display in the women’s 69kg division. Her snatch (105kg) and clean & jerk (131kg) were executed with precision and authority, giving her a commanding total of 236kg to clinch the gold medal in style.

In the fiercely contested 77kg class, Sarah Matthew demonstrated her growing reputation with a technically superb performance. She powered her way to two gold medals for Nigeria — triumphing in both the junior and senior categories.

Her lifts of 108kg in the snatch and 128kg in the clean & jerk gave her a combined total of 236kg. 

The men’s 79kg category also produced a podium finish for Nigeria, as Adedapo Adeleke Opadeji battled through stiff competition to claim bronze. 

He finished behind Ajaya Babu of India (gold) and Malaysia’s Muhammad Erry Hidayat (silver). Their collective brilliance added to Nigeria’s earlier medal wins on Wednesday. 

Joseph Edidiong Umoafia, the reigning African Games champion, lifted a total of 316kg (146kg snatch + 170kg clean & jerk) to take silver in the men’s 71kg, narrowly missing gold by a single kilogram to India’s Ajith Narayana. 

Meanwhile, Ruth Imoleayo Ayodele held firm to secure bronze in the women’s 63kg with a 212kg total (95kg + 117kg). 

This haul of three golds, one silver, and two bronzes on Wednesday and Thursday builds on the opening-day exploits of Ruth Asuquo Nyong, who won silver, and Omolola Onome, who claimed gold on Tuesday.

So far, Team Nigeria has amassed four gold, two silver, and two bronze medals at the 30th Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships — with more lifters still to compete, raising hopes for further podium finishes.