Team Nigeria enjoyed another productive outing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Thursday, winning one gold and one bronze medal while several athletes advanced to Friday’s finals.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi delivered the performance of the day by becoming the first Nigerian man to win a Commonwealth Games shot put title, while Tobi Amusan reached the women’s 100m hurdles podium despite competing with a knee problem.
Samuel Ogazi, Edidiong Udo, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Udodi Onwuzurike and Chinecherem Nnamdi also qualified for their respective finals, leaving Nigeria with several opportunities to add to its medal tally on Friday.
The two medals took Nigeria’s total to 16, comprising eight gold, five silver and three bronze. Team Nigeria ended Thursday fifth on the medal table and remained the highest-ranked African country. (Glasgow 2026)
More Read
Enekwechi makes Commonwealth Games history
Enekwechi produced a fifth-round throw of 21.07m to win the men’s shot put final in one of the closest contests of the Games.
The Nigerian had trailed during the early stages of the competition before moving into the lead with his decisive throw.
New Zealand’s Tom Walsh responded with 21.03m but fell four centimetres short, while England’s Scott Lincoln claimed bronze with 20.99m.
The victory made Enekwechi the first Nigerian man to win the Commonwealth Games shot put title and improved on the silver medal he won at Birmingham 2022.
It also continued Nigeria’s impressive showing in the field events following Goodness Nwachukwu’s world-record discus gold, Jessica Oji’s shot put silver and Temitope Adeshina’s high jump bronze.
Amusan fights through injury to claim bronze
Amusan began the day with a stunning wind-assisted 12.19s in the women’s 100m hurdles heat.
The following wind of 3.8m/s meant the performance could not be recognised as an official Games record, but it was the fastest time ever produced at the Commonwealth Games under any conditions.
The final proved more difficult.
Amusan had a slow start and was unable to recover sufficiently, finishing third in a wind-assisted 12.60s. Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas won gold in 12.33s, while Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds took silver in 12.41s.
The result denied Amusan a third consecutive Commonwealth Games title, but the bronze became more impressive after she revealed that she had competed with concerns about her knee following a fall during Team Nigeria’s training camp.
“I had a pretty bad fall in training camp, so I have been a bit concerned about my knee coming into this meet. But I am thankful I was able to hold it together and get on the podium once again,” Amusan said.
The 29-year-old added that her immediate priority would be to receive treatment before deciding on her next competition.
Her bronze was Amusan’s third successive Commonwealth Games medal after winning gold at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
Ogazi produces historic semi-final run
Samuel Ogazi strengthened his position as one of Nigeria’s leading medal contenders with an impressive performance in the men’s 400m semi-finals.
The Nigerian national record holder controlled the opening semi-final and pulled clear in the home straight to win in 44.52s.
It was the fastest men’s 400m semi-final time ever recorded at the Commonwealth Games.
Botswana’s Lee Eppie finished second in 45.26s, while Jamaica’s Zandrion Barnes placed third in 45.38s.
Edidiong Udo also qualified for the final on his Commonwealth Games debut.
Udo initially finished third in his semi-final in 45.55s but was promoted to second following the disqualification of Jamaica’s Antonio Watson. Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards won the race in 45.06s.
Ogazi and Udo will now give Nigeria two representatives in Friday’s medal race.
Onojuvwevwo advances as Okon-George, Joseph exit
Ella Onojuvwevwo secured her place in the women’s 400m final with a commanding semi-final victory.
The Nigerian pulled away from the field over the closing stages and crossed the line in 51.47s.
Wales’ Charlotte Henrich finished second in 52.13s, with Onojuvwevwo progressing as an automatic qualifier.
Patience Okon-George and Esther Elo Joseph were drawn in the same semi-final but could not advance.
Okon-George finished fifth in 53.21s, while Joseph crossed the line immediately behind her in sixth position with 53.26s.
Onwuzurike books 200m final place
Udodi Onwuzurike advanced to the men’s 200m final after finishing second in his semi-final.
The Nigerian clocked a wind-assisted 20.22s, finishing narrowly behind Jamaica’s Christopher Taylor, who won in 20.20s.
Onwuzurike was Nigeria’s only representative in the men’s 200m semi-finals following the earlier eliminations of Seye Ogunlewe and Alaba Akintola.
He will return on Friday seeking Nigeria’s second sprint medal of the Games after Kanyinsola Ajayi’s bronze in the men’s 100m.
Nigeria’s two representatives in the women’s 200m were unable to reach the final.
Jennifer Chukwuka Obi finished fifth in her semi-final in 23.25s, while Olayinka Olajide placed seventh in her race with 23.79s.
Nnamdi survives late scare in javelin qualification
Chinecherem Nnamdi needed his final attempt to secure a place in the men’s javelin final.
Competing in difficult conditions, the Nigerian produced 75.27m with his third throw to claim the 12th and final qualifying position.
Nnamdi entered the Games as one of Nigeria’s major field-event medal prospects but will need a significant improvement in Friday’s final to challenge for a podium place.
His qualification ensured Nigeria would have representatives in the shot put, high jump, discus and javelin finals during the athletics programme.
Amaechi finishes sixth in discus final
Obiageri Amaechi placed sixth in the women’s discus final with a best throw of 53.68m.
The Nigerian recorded her strongest effort in the opening round but was unable to improve sufficiently during her remaining attempts.
Jamaica’s Samantha Hall won gold with 61.66m, Canada’s Julia Tunks took silver with 60.67m and India’s Seema Kaliramna completed the podium with 58.65m.
Uwak places fifth in para 100m final
Unyima Uwak recorded a season’s best of 12.63s to finish fifth in the women’s T47 100m final.
Although the Nigerian missed the podium, the performance represented an improvement on her previous best of the season and provided further major championship experience.
Schlueter ends opening decathlon day in fourth
Jami Schlueter completed the first five events of the men’s decathlon in fourth position with 4,196 points.
Making his international debut for Nigeria, Schlueter began with 10.70s in the 100m before recording 7.16m in the long jump.
He followed with 15.35m in the shot put, cleared 1.97m in the high jump and ended the day with 49.71s in the 400m.
Schlueter remained within reach of the medal positions ahead of Friday’s final five events: the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m.
Tijani, Bethel finish fifth in para track cycling
Nigeria also made its first appearance in the para track cycling programme.
Oyindamola Abdullahi Tijani and pilot Okeyah Bethel finished fifth in the men’s tandem B 1000m time trial, recording 1:14.504.
Scotland’s Neil Fachie, piloted by Aaron Pope, won gold in 1:00.162. Wales took silver through James Ball and Matthew Rotherham, while Australia completed the podium.
More medal opportunities await
Day 7 ended with Nigeria’s medal tally rising from 14 to 16 and several athletes positioning themselves for another important evening in Glasgow.
Ogazi and Udo will contest the men’s 400m final, Onojuvwevwo will line up in the women’s 400m final and Onwuzurike will compete in the men’s 200m final.
Ezekiel Nathaniel will challenge for a medal in the men’s 400m hurdles, while Nnamdi will compete in the javelin final. Schlueter will also complete the decathlon.
Enekwechi’s historic gold and Amusan’s injury-defying bronze provided the medals on Thursday.
The number of Nigerian athletes progressing through the semi-finals, however, means Day 8 could offer an even greater opportunity to strengthen the country’s position on the medal table.
Photos: Making of Champions
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
