Reigning Commonwealth discus champion Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons has set her sights on an unprecedented double-sport appearance at the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The 31-year-old Nigerian, who currently holds the African record in her specialist event, revealed that she is exploring the possibility of competing in both athletics and weightlifting at the Games – a feat that would mark a historic first in Commonwealth Games history.
Speaking about her ambitious plans, Onyekwere-Lyons said she is “trying to see if Nigeria will let me do a dual sport at the Commonwealth Games — it has never been done before. I would be making history.”
Onyekwere-Lyons is best known for her gold-medal performance in the discus at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which made her the first Nigerian woman to win the title in the event. She is also a three-time African champion and a gold medallist at the 2019 African Games.
Her transition into Olympic weightlifting gathered momentum in January when she made her competitive debut at a sanctioned event, recording a 75kg snatch and a 106kg clean and jerk results that reflect her serious commitment to mastering the sport.
Despite a relatively quiet start to her 2026 athletics season, she has yet to open her track and field campaign following a fourth-place finish in the discus at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh last November. Onyekwere-Lyons is expected to return fully to athletics later in the year as she prepares to defend her Commonwealth crown.
For the Nigerian to feature in the weightlifting competition at Glasgow, she must meet eligibility requirements set by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). Athletes must participate in at least two IWF-sanctioned events within the qualification window from June 1, 2025, to May 18, 2026 — with at least one appearance in the bodyweight category they intend to contest at the Games.
Since Nigeria is not the host nation and Onyekwere-Lyons 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 athletes in each medal event as of May 18, 2026, will secure qualification slots for their respective countries, with additional bipartite invitations possible based on regional representation and performance considerations.
Nigeria has a strong tradition in weightlifting, having won multiple medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, including two golds, one silver and three bronze.
If she succeeds in qualifying for both disciplines and obtains the necessary approvals, Onyekwere-Lyons would embark on a rare crossover campaign, combining her status as Africa’s leading discus thrower with a bold new chapter in weightlifting at the same Commonwealth Games.
