Nigerian weightlifters consolidated their dominance at the ongoing 2026 African Senior Weightlifting Championships and 16th Mediterranean Cup in Ismaila, Egypt, winning 9 additional medals to cement their leadership of the medals table.
The championships, which also serve as qualifiers for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, have seen Nigeria emerge as one of the strongest teams, with the 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, accounting for nine of the country’s 10 gold medals so far in Egypt as of the second day of hostilities.
On day three, Liadi Taiwo, Edidiong Umoafia, and Adedapo Adeleke won 9 more Medals on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
2026 African Senior Weightlifting Championships: Winning Women
Competing in the women’s 48kg category, Ruth Nyong Asuquo 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.
Onome Omolola Didih controlled her event from the opening lifts, securing 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, securing another clean sweep of three gold medals to strengthen the country’s qualification push for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Favour For The Men
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, winning one gold 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 medal in the category.
9 More Medals On Day Three
After winning 10 gold medals previously, the trio of Liadi Taiwo, Edidiong Umoafia, and Adedapo Adeleke won 9 more Medals on Thursday, May 14, 2026, to consolidate the team’s outstanding performance so far.
Taiwo, competing in the 77kg women’s category, won all three medals at stake, leaving Egypt and Tunisia to settle for the other medals.
Edidiong Umoafia won a gold and 2 silver medals in the 71kg men’s class, while Adedapo Adeleke won all three silver medals on display in the 79kg men’s class.
Overall, Nigeria has won a total of 24 medals, comprising 14 gold and 10 silver, to cement its leadership on the medals table.
Setting a new medal record in 2026
Nigeria already surpassed its total medal haul during the 2025 edition of the competition, which also serves as the 2026 Commonwealth Games qualification.
Nigeria emerged as the overall champion at the 2025 African Senior Weightlifting Championships in Moka, Mauritius, held in April 2025. The team secured a dominant victory with 18 medals, including 13 gold, four silver, and one bronze.
Team Nigeria currently has 14 gold and 12 silver medals to lead the pack in Ismaili, Egypt.
