Team Nigeria enjoyed a rewarding night at the ongoing 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, picking up two more gold medals on Wednesday in wrestling and the women’s 4x100m relay to boost the country’s medal haul.
The update was shared in a statement on Thursday by Kola Daniel, Special Adviser to the Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olapade.
In the women’s 53kg freestyle wrestling final, Christiana Ogunsanya put up a dominant display, overpowering Uzbekistan’s Shokhida Akhmedova with an emphatic 11–1 victory to secure Nigeria’s first gold of the evening.
The celebration continued on the track as the youthful Nigerian quartet of Bada Toyin, Ezechukwu Miracle, Omokwe Maria and Nweke Cynthia raced to gold in the women’s 4x100m final.
Their smooth baton exchanges and explosive finish earned them a winning time of 44.27 seconds.
Bahrain followed in 44.47 seconds, while The Gambia settled for third in 45.05 seconds.
Nigeria’s steady progress also included two silver and three bronze medals across various events. In the men’s javelin, Kure Adams claimed bronze, while Badmus Atanda added another bronze in the men’s 400m.
In the women’s 400m final, Patience George secured silver after finishing behind her Bahraini counterpart.
The men’s 4x100m relay team—John Caleb, Chidera Ezeakor, Ezekiel Asuquo and James Emmanuel—crossed the line in third place to earn bronze for Nigeria.
In wrestling, Miesinnei Genesis fought hard in the women’s 50kg freestyle final but lost 5–1 to Uzbekistan’s Aktenge Keunimjaeva, taking home a silver medal.
Commending the athletes, Olapade applauded their determination and urged them to remain focused as the Games continue.
“I am truly proud of both of you and just know that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will continue to expose Nigerian athletes to the best international competitions both home and abroad for podium success,” he said.
“Your performance here means a lot to us, and the NSC under the Chairmanship of Shehu Dikko is determined to ensure Nigeria continues to enjoy the feel-good factor of sports.”
With the latest results, Team Nigeria’s tally now stands at eight gold, 10 silver and seven bronze medals— and expectations remain high as more events, including para-athletics and para-powerlifting, are still ahead.
