Folashade Oluwafemiayo smashed the world record twice on her way to claiming Nigeria's second Para Powerlifting gold of the day at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday, 25 July, lifting a best of 175kg in the +86kg Heavyweight division. In all, three world records fell during the event, underscoring Nigeria's dominance on the opening day of competition.

Record-Breaking Heavyweight Final

Oluwafemiayo's gold capped a remarkable session in which fellow Nigerian Rita Ferdinand claimed silver with a world-record lift of 158kg in the +79kg category. Hani Watson of Australia took bronze. The Heavyweight podium was effectively a Nigerian masterclass, with two of the three world records in the session belonging to Nigerian athletes.

Nigeria's Day-Long Dominance

Nigeria's Para Powerlifting sweep began earlier in the day, when Esther Nworgu and Esther Oyema claimed gold and silver respectively in the Women's Lightweight division. Roland Ezuruike added a silver in the Men's Lightweight event. By the close of the first two sessions, Nigeria led the overall medal table with two golds and two silvers, ahead of England (one gold, one bronze) and Malaysia (one bronze).

Swan's Dramatic Men's Lightweight Gold

England's Mark Swan claimed the first gold medal of Glasgow 2026 in the most dramatic fashion in the Men's Lightweight category. Swan lifted more than three times his body weight, posting 222kg on his second attempt to tie with Nigerian veteran Roland Ezuruike on 153.9 points heading into the final round. Two-time Paralympic champion and world record holder Bonnie Bunyau Gustin of Malaysia — who had won the title at the Birmingham 2022 Games — was just 0.4 points behind in third but could not convert on his final lift, surrendering his title. Ezuruike then fouled his final attempt before Swan fell short of a Games Record bid at 232kg, leaving the second-round standings intact and Swan with gold.

Atmosphere at the Venue

The competition was held in a charged atmosphere, with Scottish actor Sam Heughan taking to the DJ decks during the build-up, energising a vociferous crowd. Australia's Daniel Bos, who finished ninth, captured the mood: 'The whole atmosphere here, the crowd, that was crazy. That gave me a massive adrenaline rush. It's really surreal because you have these little moments on stage where I'm like, Whoa, this is it. It's really cool. I've never experienced anything like this.'

What to Watch Next

With Nigeria already atop the medal standings after just the first day of competition, the remaining Para Powerlifting sessions and other disciplines will determine whether the West African nation can sustain its early advantage at Glasgow 2026. The Games continue across multiple venues in Glasgow through the coming days.