Reigning Commonwealth discus champion Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons is targeting a historic dual-sport appearance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, planning to compete in both athletics and Olympic weightlifting.

The African record holder in discus recently switched to weightlifting, driven by the ambition to make history—pending Nigeria’s approval and successful qualification.

“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.”

Born in the United States but representing Nigeria internationally, Onyekwere-Lyons is the defending Commonwealth champion in discus after winning gold at the 2022 Birmingham Games. She is also a three-time African champion, securing consecutive titles in 2018 and 2022, and a gold medalist at the 2019 African Games.

Her weightlifting journey began in January, where she debuted in a sanctioned meet, achieving a 75kg snatch and 106kg clean and jerk, describing the experience as challenging yet rewarding.

While her athletics season has not yet started, she last competed at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, finishing fourth in discus. She is expected to return to defend her Commonwealth title later this year.

To compete in weightlifting at Glasgow 2026, she must meet IWF eligibility rules, including participation in at least two sanctioned events between June 1, 2025, and May 18, 2026, with one in her chosen bodyweight category. Nigeria’s qualification route may include the IWF Commonwealth ranking list or a bipartite invitation.

If approved, Onyekwere-Lyons could achieve a rare dual-sport milestone, combining her dominance in African discus with a bold new chapter on the weightlifting platform, cementing her status as one of Nigeria’s most versatile athletes.