Nigeria’s Didih Onome Omolola has revealed that the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) enhanced financial rewards for medal winners provided extra motivation as she powered to gold and a Commonwealth Games record on her debut at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Omolola emerged as one of Team Nigeria’s standout performers after producing a record-breaking display to claim the Commonwealth title, further strengthening the country’s impressive showing in weightlifting.
Speaking after her historic triumph, the Nigerian weightlifter admitted that the improved welfare package introduced by the NSC played a significant role in motivating athletes to give their very best.
“The enhanced prize money was a huge motivation for me. It pushed me to work even harder because I knew there was something extra to fight for apart from winning the gold medal,” Omolola said.
The Commonwealth champion explained that financial incentives, coupled with the opportunity to break records and improve her international ranking, fueled her determination throughout the competition.
“Winning gold, setting a Games record and improving my ranking were all important goals. The prize money was an added incentive that inspired me to give everything on the platform,” she added.
Omolola also praised the National Sports Commission for creating an environment that allowed Nigerian athletes to prepare effectively, noting that improved welfare and better planning have boosted confidence across Team Nigeria.
Her victory contributed to Nigeria’s growing medal haul at the Games and reinforced the country’s reputation as one of Africa’s traditional powerhouses in weightlifting.
Competing at her first Commonwealth Games, Omolola believes the experience has strengthened her confidence and provided the ideal platform to pursue even greater success on the international stage.
With a Commonwealth title and a Games record now to her name, the Nigerian weightlifter has set her sights on maintaining her upward trajectory as she targets more international medals and qualification for future global championships.
