Quick Summary:
NigeriaShinesRiyadh2025 as Rafiatu Lawal captures three gold medals in weightlifting and Zainab Adeshina advances to the boxing final, marking a strong start for Team Nigeria at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh.
NigeriaShinesRiyadh2025 began on a golden note as Rafiatu Lawal delivered a historic performance at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, winning three gold medals in the women’s 58kg weightlifting category on Sunday.
Lawal lifted 98kg in the snatch and 122kg in the clean & jerk, achieving a combined total of 220kg to secure Nigeria’s first medals at this year’s Games. The 28-year-old outclassed Niogora Abdullaeva of Uzbekistan, who took silver, and Noura Essam of Egypt, who claimed bronze.
This victory adds to Lawal’s growing legacy. Just a month earlier, she made history at the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway, becoming the first Nigerian athlete to win three silver medals at the global event. Her previous triumphs include gold medals at the 2019 African Games (Rabat), 2022 Commonwealth Games (Birmingham), and 2023 African Games (Accra), along with a fifth-place finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Adeshina Advances to Boxing Final
Nigeria’s momentum continued in the boxing ring as Zainab Adeshina advanced to the final of the women’s 51kg category after a thrilling 4–1 victory over Fatiha Mansouri of Algeria at The Promenade – Art Tower venue.
Representing the red corner, Adeshina overcame a slow start to dominate the final round, earning her place in Monday’s gold medal bout against Tunisia’s Rabia Topuz.
Judges from Egypt, Iraq, Slovakia, and Australia scored the contest in Adeshina’s favour, while the Puerto Rican judge sided with Mansouri. Despite early setbacks, the 21-year-old Nigerian fought back with sharp combinations and superior movement. Mansouri’s repeated infringements led to two referee warnings and point deductions, sealing Adeshina’s win.
Australian judge Dylan Perceval scored all three rounds 10–9 for Adeshina, while other judges returned close totals of 28–27. Having already triumphed in her quarter-final bout on Thursday, Adeshina now stands one fight away from securing Nigeria’s second gold medal in boxing at the Games.
Team Nigeria at Riyadh 2025
Team Nigeria’s 46-member contingent, comprising 35 athletes and 11 officials, is competing in seven sports:
- Athletics
- Para-athletics
- Para powerlifting
- Weightlifting
- Wrestling
- Boxing
- Taekwondo
The sixth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games, running from November 7 to 21, features over 3,000 athletes from 57 countries competing in 23 sports across world-class venues in Riyadh. The event celebrates unity, excellence, and cultural exchange across the Islamic world.