Nigeria’s campaign at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh has begun on a bright note, thanks to a commanding display from weightlifter Rafiatu Lawal, who produced a remarkable performance to claim three gold medals in the women’s 58kg event.
Lawal completely outclassed the field, lifting 98kg in the snatch and following it up with 122kg in the clean and jerk. Her combined total of 220kg placed her comfortably ahead of the rest of the competitors, leaving Uzbekistan’s Niogora Abdullaeva to settle for silver while Egypt’s Noura Essam finished with bronze.
According to Gossip News Now, the victory further strengthens Lawal’s growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s finest and most dependable weightlifting stars on the international stage. Her latest success in Saudi Arabia comes only weeks after another major milestone in Norway, where she became the first Nigerian to win three silver medals at a single edition of the IWF World Championships.
Her journey in the sport has been marked by consistency and steady excellence. Over the years, she has repeatedly delivered for Nigeria in major competitions, with titles and strong finishes that continue to underline her status among Africa’s elite lifters.
Among the achievements that have defined her rise are gold-medal triumphs at the African Games in Rabat in 2019, the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, and the African Games in Accra in 2023. She also recorded an impressive fifth-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics, showing she can compete strongly even at the highest level.
The ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games, which run from November 7 to 21, have attracted more than 3,000 athletes from 57 countries. Competitors are taking part in 23 sports across major venues in Riyadh, making the event one of the biggest multi-sport gatherings in the region.
Nigeria arrived at the Games with a 46-member delegation made up of 35 athletes and 11 officials. The country is represented in seven disciplines, including athletics, para-athletics, para powerlifting, weightlifting, wrestling, boxing, and taekwondo.
While Lawal was making headlines in weightlifting, another Nigerian athlete was also making serious progress in boxing. Zainab Adeshina booked her place in the women’s 51kg final after a hard-fought semi-final victory over Algeria’s Fatiha Mansouri.
Adeshina, fighting from the red corner, had to grow into the contest after a cautious opening. As the bout wore on, she became more assertive, showing better movement and landing the cleaner punches, especially in the closing round when the fight tilted decisively in her favor.
The contest was also affected by repeated fouls from Mansouri, whose indiscipline drew two separate warnings from the referee. Those deductions proved costly and helped strengthen the Nigerian’s position on the scorecards.
In the end, Adeshina earned the nod from four of the five judges, with officials from Egypt, Iraq, Slovakia, and Australia scoring in her favor. Only the Puerto Rican judge sided with her Algerian opponent, confirming just how strong the Nigerian’s finish had been.
Her reward is a place in Monday’s gold medal showdown, where she will face Tunisia’s Rabia Topuz. The 21-year-old had already shown promise in the quarter-final, but her semi-final display has now put her within touching distance of a major title.
Adeshina is one half of Nigeria’s two-person boxing squad at the Games, working under coach Abayomi Oyeleye. The other member of the team is Ridwan Raheem, who is competing in the men’s welterweight category.
Commentary and Analysis
Rafiatu Lawal’s triple-gold performance does more than add medals to Nigeria’s tally; it sends a strong message about the country’s strength in weightlifting. Her dominance shows not just talent, but a level of consistency that places her among Nigeria’s most reliable elite athletes.
Adeshina’s run to the boxing final is equally important, especially because it highlights Nigeria’s depth beyond one sport. Her ability to recover from a measured start and finish stronger suggests strong composure, tactical discipline, and confidence under pressure.
Together, the two performances have given Nigeria early momentum at the Games. More importantly, they reflect the value of sustained investment in athletes who continue to deliver when placed on major international platforms.
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