Rafiatu Lawal Wins Gold Thrice As Adeshina Fights Into Final At Islamic Solidarity Games

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Nigeria’s Rafiatu Lawal gave the country a dream start at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after winning all three gold medals in the women’s 58kg weightlifting category on Sunday.

Lawal dominated the field, lifting 98kg in the snatch and 122kg in the clean and jerk for a combined total of 220kg — far ahead of Uzbekistan’s Niogora Abdullaeva, who took silver, and Egypt’s Noura Essam, who settled for bronze.

The victory marks yet another milestone for the 28-year-old, who has established herself as one of Africa’s most decorated female lifters. Just last month, Lawal made history at the 2025 IWF World Championships in Forde, Norway, where she became the first Nigerian to win three silver medals in a single championship.

Over the years, Lawal has built a formidable international résumé — claiming gold at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the 2023 African Games in Accra. She also finished fifth at the Paris 2024 Olympics, earning widespread recognition for her consistency and resilience.

Adeshina Advances to Boxing Final

In boxing, Nigeria’s Zainab Adeshina secured a spot in the women’s 51kg final after defeating Algeria’s Fatiha Mansouri 4–1 on points in a tense semi-final bout held at The Promenade, Art Tower, in Riyadh.

Adeshina, who represented the red corner, started slowly but rallied in the final round with improved footwork and sharper combinations. Mansouri’s repeated infractions proved costly, as referee Chang Yu-Ling of Taiwan issued two warnings that led to point deductions.

Judges from Egypt, Iraq, Slovakia, and Australia scored in Adeshina’s favour, while only the Puerto Rican judge awarded the bout to Mansouri. The Australian official scored all three rounds 10–9 for Adeshina (30–27 overall), sealing her place in Monday’s gold medal fight against Tunisia’s Rabia Topuz.

The 21-year-old Nigerian boxer had earlier won her quarter-final on Thursday and continues to impress under the guidance of coach Abayomi Oyeleye. She is part of a two-person Nigerian boxing squad that also includes Ridwan Raheem, who competes in the men’s welterweight division.

Team Nigeria at the Islamic Solidarity Games

Nigeria’s delegation to the sixth edition of the Games comprises 46 members — including 35 athletes and 11 officials — competing in seven sports: athletics, para-athletics, para powerlifting, weightlifting, wrestling, boxing, and taekwondo.

The Islamic Solidarity Games, which run from November 7 to 21, 2025, feature over 3,000 athletes from 57 nations competing across 23 sports at premier venues across Riyadh.

Editor’s Note

This report is based on verified results from the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) and statements from Nigeria’s team officials in Riyadh.