Nigeria’s Rafiatu Folashade Lawal delivered another historic performance at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, successfully defending her women’s 58kg weightlifting title while breaking the Games and Commonwealth records in every lift category to hand Team Nigeria its sixth gold medal of the competition.
The reigning Commonwealth champion proved why she remains one of the world’s finest weightlifters, opening with a sensational 103kg snatch, which erased both the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth records.
Lawal followed that up with an outstanding 126kg clean and jerk, setting another pair of records before finishing with a remarkable 229kg total—yet another Games and Commonwealth record.
The Nigerian finished a commanding 14kg ahead of Canada’s Ann-Sophie Taschereau, who claimed silver with a combined lift of 215kg, while India’s Bindyarani Devi completed the podium with bronze after lifting 199kg.
Lawal’s latest triumph further strengthens Nigeria’s impressive campaign in Glasgow, with the country continuing to establish itself as one of the dominant forces in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games.
The victory also marks a successful defence of the title she first won at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Her gold comes after another strong day for Team Nigeria, following Ruth Asuquo’s silver medal in the women’s 48kg event, as the nation’s weightlifters continue to deliver medals and record-breaking performances in Scotland.