Glasgow, July 24: Nigeria has taken the lead in the medal table at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, following an impressive performance in the first two sessions. The country dominated the para powerlifting competition, with Esther Nworgu and Esther Oyema each winning a gold and silver medal in the women’s lightweight category, while Roland Ejurike secured a silver in the men’s lightweight event earlier in the day.
With one gold and two silvers, Nigeria tops the medal standings, while England holds the second position with one gold and one bronze medal. Malaysia is in third place with one bronze medal.
Mark Swan from England won the first gold medal of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in the men’s lightweight para powerlifting category under dramatic circumstances. Swan lifted an impressive 222 kg, three times his body weight, in his second attempt. He was tied with Nigeria’s seasoned athlete Roland Ejurike for the gold before heading into the final round, scoring 153.9 points.
Boni Bunyau Gustin from Malaysia, a two-time Paralympic champion and world record holder in the 72 kg category, finished just 0.4 points behind in third place but could not deliver a strong performance at the last moment. Ejurike fouled his final lift, and Swan’s attempt to set a games record at 232 kg was unsuccessful, leaving the scores unchanged from the second round.
The men’s lightweight category included athletes with body weights up to 72 kg, and medals were determined using a coefficient formula to rank lifts according to the athletes’ body weights.
Daniel Boss from Australia, who finished in ninth place, remarked, “The atmosphere here is exhilarating. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.”
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.