The Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) has set a bold target for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, aiming to secure six gold medals. The federation announced the goal as 40 boxers, selected after a national open trial, head into a decisive training camp to finalize the squad for the competition.
Set Target for 2026
Omonlei Imadu, the NBF Vice President, confirmed that the goal is to win 10 medals, with six of them targeted as gold. “We are truly determined to make this a reality in Glasgow,” Imadu said. The next phase of preparations will focus on ensuring that the selected athletes are in peak physical condition before the tournament.
Finalists Head to Training Camp
The 40 fighters include 20 finalists from the open trials, divided evenly between men and women. The trials, which attracted 128 athletes, saw 101 men and 27 women competing across 10 weight divisions.
UK-based Patricia Mbata, an African Games gold medalist, led the women’s finalists after a stellar performance in the trials. Other female finalists include Udoette Happiness, Gafar Fathia, Ajishola Kadijat, Gbadamosi Aishat, Sodipe Damilola, Ismail Abibat, Blessing Orakwe, James Queen, and Odoka Celestina.
In the men’s category, Kenneth Anigboro stood out in the 90kg class, among other notable finalists such as Ogunremi Michael, Habeeb Qazeem, Abdulwahab Abdulrahmon, Saliu Ridwan, Folly Hassan, Nwoha Precious, Daniel Joshua, Sharafadeen Fawas, and Abiodun Adesoji.
Optimism for Success
Babatunde Laguda, the NBF Technical Director, commended the athletes for their dedication during the trials. Vivian Azimene, NBF Secretary-General, confirmed that the final team will begin their camp soon, with sparring partners from the trials joining the preparation phase.
Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, expressed optimism about Nigeria’s prospects. “We are doing everything possible to ensure that Nigeria has a successful outing at the Games, and the prospects in boxing truly excite me,” Olopade said.
Past Performance and Ambitions
Nigeria’s boxing team will look to improve on their performance from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where a nine-member squad won four medals. Elizabeth Oshoba took silver, and Cynthia Ogunsemilore, Jacinta Umunnakwe, and Ifeanyi Onyekwere won bronze.
Conclusion
With their sights set on six gold medals, Nigeria’s boxing team is preparing for a strong showing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The selected fighters are determined to bring home the best results and build on previous success in international competitions.
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