Onyekwere-Lyons eyes double titles at Commonwealth Games

Reigning Commonwealth discus champion Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons says she is exploring the possibility of competing in both athletics and weightlifting at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, in what would be an unprecedented dual-sport appearance.

The African record holder in the discus confirmed that her recent switch to Olympic weightlifting is driven by an ambition to make history, provided she secures the necessary approval and qualification.

Speaking about her decision to venture into weightlifting this year, she explained that her intention is to participate in two disciplines at the Games this year while awaiting Nigeria’s approval to compete.

“I am trying to see if Nigeria will let me do a dual sport at the Commonwealth Games,” she said.

“It has never been done before. I would be making history.”

The 31-year-old, who was born in the United States but represents Nigeria internationally, is the defending Commonwealth champion in the discus, having won gold at the 2022 Games in Birmingham.

Also Read: 82 Nigerians bag UK Chevening, Commonwealth scholarships

She is also a three-time African champion, with consecutive African Championships titles in 2018 and 2022 and a gold medal at the 2019 African Games.

Her transition to weightlifting gathered pace in January when she made her competitive debut in Olympic weightlifting at a sanctioned meet, recording 75kg in the snatch and 106kg in the clean and jerk.

Reflecting on the experience on social media, she described the outing as demanding but enjoyable, noting that she had gained even greater respect for athletes in the sport after competing alongside them.

The move comes during a relatively quiet period in her athletics calendar. She has yet to open her 2026 track and field season, with her last major appearance coming at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh in November, where she finished fourth in the discus. She is nevertheless expected to return fully to athletics later in the year as she prepares to defend her Commonwealth title in Glasgow.

For her to feature in the weightlifting competition at Glasgow 2026, she must meet the eligibility requirements set out for Commonwealth participation.

Athletes must compete in at least two International Weightlifting Federation sanctioned events within the ranking period from June 1, 2025 to May 18, 2026, with at least one of those appearances in the specific bodyweight category they intend to contest at the Games.

As Nigeria is not the host nation and she did not compete at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Senior Championships, her route to qualification would be through the IWF Commonwealth ranking list or via a bipartite invitation.

The top eight ranked eligible athletes per medal event, as at May 18, 2026, will secure qualification slots for their respective country, subject to representation limits. A single bipartite invitation slot per medal event may also be allocated at the discretion of the IWF and the CGF, taking into account factors such as regional representation and demonstrated performance levels.

Nigeria has a pedigree in the sport, having won two gold, one silver and three bronze medals in weightlifting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

If she succeeds in qualifying and receives approval to compete in both disciplines, Onyekwere-Lyons would attempt a rare crossover at the same Games, combining her status as Africa’s leading discus thrower with a bold new chapter on the weightlifting platform.

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