Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship: Osijo’s Bronze Seals Nine-Medal Haul As Nigeria Finish Second Overall
NIGERIA capped a remarkable campaign at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in India with nine medals, after Mary Taiwo Osijo claimed bronze on the final day of competition, Saturday 30 August.
Competing in the women’s +86kg category at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Pune, Osijo — a Commonwealth Games medallist — lifted a combined 231kg (103kg snatch, 128kg clean and jerk) to secure her place on the podium.
Her bronze completed Nigeria’s medal tally of 4 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze, earning the country second place on the overall table behind hosts India, who dominated the competition with 39 medals (26 gold, 10 silver, 3 bronze).
Nigeria’s Medal Haul
Gold (4)
Omolola Onome
Islamiyat Yusuf – Women’s 69kg
Sarah Matthew – Junior & Senior Women’s 77kg (double gold)
Silver (2)
Joseph Edidiong Umoafia – Men’s 71kg (316kg, narrowly missing gold by 1kg to India’s Ajith Narayana)
Ruth Asouquo Ayodele – Women 63kg
Bronze (3)
Mary Taiwo Osijo – Women’s +86kg (231kg)
Adedayo Adeleke Opadeji – Men’s 79kg
Ruth Imoleayo Ayodele – Women’s 63kg (212kg)
The star of Nigeria’s campaign was Sarah Matthew, who struck double gold in the junior and senior divisions of the women’s 77kg class. Islamiyat Yusuf and Omolola Onome also powered to gold, securing three automatic slots for Nigeria at next year’s Commonwealth Games.
African Games champion Joseph Edidiong Umoafia came agonizingly close to another gold medal, finishing just one kilogram behind India’s Ajith Narayana in the men’s 71kg contest.
With nine medals in total, Nigeria once again underlined its status as a force in Commonwealth weightlifting.
The team not only produced consistent podium finishes across categories but also strengthened qualification prospects for Paris-bound lifters at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
The 30th edition of the Championship featured over 300 lifters from 31 nations, making Nigeria’s second-place finish and top African performance.
