As the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games enters its decisive final week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Team Nigeria is firmly focused on building on its impressive first-half performance, where the country currently sits 6th out of 58 nations on the medals table.
Nigeria has so far won 14 medals — 6 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze — with weightlifting delivering the bulk of the podium finishes, alongside a silver medal from boxing.
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But the second half of the Games is where Nigeria traditionally asserts dominance — and expectations are high.
TRACK & FIELD, PARA SPORTS AND WRESTLING TAKE CENTRE STAGE
With Track and Field events kicking off on Monday, November 17, Team Nigeria is primed for a major surge up the medals table. A total of 43 gold medals are available in athletics, and Nigeria’s blend of homegrown and foreign-based athletes are tipped to make a strong impression at the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City.
The nation’s Para-Sports teams, including Para-Powerlifting and Para-Athletics, are also expected to significantly boost Nigeria’s medal haul.
Nigeria’s Para-Powerlifters — fresh from finishing second at the World Championships in Egypt — begin competition on Friday, while Para-Athletics starts on Tuesday.
ELIZABETH ANYANACHO BEGINS GOLD PURSUIT
Nigeria’s Taekwondo star Elizabeth Anyanacho opens her campaign on Sunday in the -67kg category when she faces the winner between Mauritania and Mozambique in the quarterfinals.
Anyanacho, Africa’s No. 1, recently broke a 20-year continental record by winning bronze at the World Championships in China. She is determined to close out the year with a coveted Islamic Games gold medal.
WRESTLING TEAM SET FOR ACTION
Led by Nigeria Wrestling Federation President and Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the national wrestling team begins competition on Tuesday at Boulevard Riyadh City. Expectations remain high for medals given Nigeria’s strong pedigree in the sport.
NSC LEADERSHIP BACKS TEAM NIGERIA FOR STRONG FINISH
The National Sports Commission (NSC), under Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade, expressed satisfaction with Team Nigeria’s performance so far.
They reaffirmed that the Games are a strategic platform to prepare Nigerian athletes ahead of next year’s Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Nigeria’s mission in Riyadh is clear — finish strong, dominate the final stretch, and climb higher on the medals table.
