Nigeria’s charge for glory at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh reached a glittering crescendo on Tuesday as the weightlifting events came to a thrilling conclusion.
In the midst of it all stood Sarah Matthew, a young woman whose strength told the story of a nation on the rise.
Read Also: Remo Stars Owner Kunle Soname Reveals He Rejected Lucrative Offer to Play Both CAF Ties in South Africa
At just 22, Matthew lifted herself and her country into the spotlight with a golden performance marked by power, precision, and poise.
She struck gold in the snatch with a lift of 116kg, then followed up with 129kg in the clean and jerk to take silver, finishing with a total of 245kg — a personal best that left her just 15kg short of Egypt’s Sara Ahmed, the reigning champion who swept two gold medals with a total of 260kg.
For Nigeria, Matthew’s medals weren’t just numbers; they were the spark that lifted the nation to fifth place on the overall medals table, with a total of 14 medals , six gold, five silver, and three bronze.
Weightlifting, in particular, emerged as Nigeria’s golden stronghold, delivering 13 of those 14 medals, while boxing contributed one.
Leading the charge among the lifters was the ever-reliable Rafiatu Lawal, who dominated her category with a stunning clean sweep of three gold medals in the women’s 58kg class.
On the men’s side, Edidiong Umoafia showcased Nigeria’s depth, earning one gold, one silver, and one bronze, while Joy Ayodele battled fiercely in the 63kg women’s event to claim one silver and two bronze medals.
Rising sensation Islamiyat Yusuf added her name to the roll of honour with gold in the women’s 69kg snatch, rounding off what has been a truly inspiring weightlifting campaign for Team Nigeria.
Boxing too had its moment of pride, as Zainab Adeshina powered her way to a silver medal in the women’s 57kg division, wrapping up Nigeria’s campaign in the ring with grit and promise.
As the weightlifters exited the stage, the baton passed to the next wave of hopefuls.
Taekwondo sole representative in the hunt for medal is no other the history making world championship medallist Elizabeth Anyanacho.
She will enter the arena on Saturday, followed by athletics on November 17, and Wrestling on November 18.
While Türkiye continues to dominate the medals table with 68 medals (43 gold, 14 silver, 11 bronze), ahead of Egypt, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.
Nigeria’s steady ascent is a tale of quiet resilience — of athletes who lift not just weights, but a nation’s pride.
And as Riyadh’s floodlights shift to new arenas, the echoes of clanging to golden precious metal still linger — a reminder that Nigeria’s pursuit of gold is far from over, but only a break until the Weekend.
