Nigeria’s Edidiong Joseph Umoafia has won the men’s 71kg weightlifting gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, delivering another outstanding performance to extend Team Nigeria’s remarkable medal haul in Glasgow.
Umoafia produced a commanding display from start to finish, recording 147kg in the snatch before matching the best 172kg in the clean and jerk to finish with a winning total of 319kg.
The Nigerian had established himself as the man to beat after topping the snatch standings, then showed remarkable composure in the clean and jerk to seal victory and hand Team Nigeria another memorable gold medal.
Samoa’s John Lautafi Tafi also lifted 172kg in the clean and jerk but settled for the silver medal with a 314kg total, while Ezekiel Moses of Nauru claimed bronze after finishing with 310kg.
Men’s 71kg Final Results
🥇 Edidiong Joseph Umoafia (Nigeria) – 147kg (Snatch), 172kg (Clean & Jerk), Total: 319kg
🥈 John Lautafi Tafi (Samoa) – 142kg, 172kg, Total: 314kg
🥉 Ezekiel Moses (Nauru) – 140kg, 170kg, Total: 310kg
The victory takes Team Nigeria’s gold medal tally to four, while the country’s overall medal count rises to eight, further underlining Nigeria’s dominance on the weightlifting platform after its earlier success in para powerlifting.
Updated Team Nigeria Medal Table
🥇 Gold: 4
🥈 Silver: 4
🥉 Bronze: 0
Total: 8 Medals
Sports247 gathered that Umoafia’s victory sparked fresh celebrations inside the Nigerian camp as teammates and officials hailed another golden performance. With athletics now gathering momentum and more medal events still to come, Team Nigeria’s impressive campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games continues to gather pace.
