•One less than Birmingham 2022, but with less athletes from few sports
Team Nigeria ended the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland last night with 10 gold, seven silver and five bronze medals, one gold less than the country’s outing at the Birmingham edition four years ago.
Against all expectations, Nigeria won only one gold medal from the four projected on final day of competition as the quartet of Favour Ashe, Kanyinsola Ajayi, Nicholas Fakorede and Udodi Onwuzurike’s best of 38.12 secs in the men’s 4x100m relay fetched a bronze. Canada that was disqualified for Nigeria to step up to silver won their protest to reclaim the silver. Australia won gold in 38.07 seconds, just 0.05 seconds ahead of Nigeria.
In the women’s final, Nigeria finished sixth in 43.74 seconds. Jamaica claimed gold in 42.65secs, Canada took silver in 42.76 seconds, while Trinidad and Tobago secured bronze with a season’s best of 43.07 seconds.
The biggest disappointment of the final day of the track & field events of Glasgow 2026 for Team Nigeria was the bronze that the quartet of Ezekiel Nathaniel, Patience Okon-George, Samuel Ogazi and Ella Onojuvwevwo got. The anchor leg, Onojuvwevwo gassed out when it mattered most, few meters to the finish line. She made the tactical error of out pacing the leaders but could not sustain the strength to continue to the finish line,
Elsewhere, Ruth Usoro won silver for Nigeria in the women’s long jump. Her very first jump produced a wind-assisted leap of 6.87m to secure her place on the podium.
England’s Jazmin Sawyers won gold with 6.93m, while Australia’s Brooke Buschkuehl claimed bronze with 6.80m.
Earlier, Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi lived up to his status as world No.1 in the quarter-mile this year by storming home in 44.25 seconds to claim Men’s 400m gold – his first senior medal of the track & field event of the 2026 Commonwealth Games ending today in Glasgow, Scotland.
The 20-year-old Nigerian quarter-miler who was finalist two years ago at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, left his rivals trailing to cross the line 0.57secs clear of defending champion, Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago (44.82secs), while South Africa’s Zakithi Nene picked the consolatory bronze with 45.21secs.
Before the race, Ogazi was the clear favourite for the gold medal, following his extraordinary outdoor season. He few months back erased Innocent Egbunike’s 44.17secs long-standing 400m national record with a new 44.02secs.
And so, he made light the burden of expectations on him when he powered to the gold inside the Scotstoun Stadium here in Glasgow.
Speaking with track & field writers in the Mixed Zone after his gold medal feat, the University of Alabama in the United States graduate said: “I didn’t want to come out here and disappoint (Nigerians). I just had to go out there and do my thing.
“I was confident. I came here prepared. I’ve trained for this and for conditions like this,” continued the Commonwealth champion.
Against the backdrop of Team Nigeria’s projection of seven gold medals from the track & field event of Glasgow 2026 of which two were missed by both Kanyinsola Ajayi and world record holder in 100m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, expectations were naturally high for Ogazi to deliver.
“I wouldn’t say I had extra pressure on me,” Ogazi stressed. But admitted that it “It was just a bit of weight on my back to carry.”
He also admitted that the first 100metre was a little bit sluggish, “but I knew I had a lot inside me. I just stayed controlled, kept it easy and kept going.”
In the women’s 200m, Ella Onojuvwevwo also added a bronze medal to Team Nigeria’s collection here in Glasgow. Her strong 51.00 seconds has set her apart as Nigeria’s leading female quarter-miler, chasing the legacies of national record holder, Falilat Ogunkoya’s 49.10 second.
Jamaican Dejanea Oakley (50.21) settled for the silver while Barbados’ Sada Williams (50.99) won the bronze.