Team Nigeria left a lasting mark at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with several athletes producing historic performances that rewrote the country’s record books.
Naija News reports that Team Nigeria finished seventh on the medals table after winning 24 medals, made up of 10 gold, seven silver and seven bronze, but the biggest story was the number of long-standing milestones that were broken.
Samuel Ogazi led the way by becoming the first Nigerian man to win the Commonwealth Games 400m title. The 19-year-old raced to gold in a Games record time of 44.25 seconds, ending Nigeria’s 32-year wait for a medal in the event since the late Sunday Bada won bronze in 1994.
Temitope Adeshina also made history after claiming bronze in the women’s high jump with a clearance of 1.90m. The national record holder became the first Nigerian to win a Commonwealth Games high jump medal in 60 years, matching a feat last achieved by Samuel Igun, who won silver in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1966.
Ezekiel Nathaniel continued his impressive rise by winning gold in the men’s 400m hurdles in 48.47 seconds. The African record holder became the first Nigerian man to claim Commonwealth Games gold in the event and the country’s first medallist in the discipline since Ajoke Odumosu took bronze in 2010.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi finally earned his breakthrough on the big stage by becoming Nigeria’s first Commonwealth Games champion in the men’s shot put. His winning throw of 21.07m defeated New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, who managed 21.03m, while England’s Scott Lincoln settled for bronze with 20.99m. Before Enekwechi’s triumph, only Vivian Chukwuemeka had won a Commonwealth Games shot put medal for Nigeria.
Ella Onojuvwevwo announced herself on the senior stage by taking bronze in the women’s 400m with a time of 51.00 seconds. It was her first individual senior medal for Nigeria and the country’s first Commonwealth Games medal in the event since Fatima Yusuf won silver in 1994.
Kayinsola Ajayi added another milestone by winning bronze in the men’s 100m. He became the first Nigerian man to reach the Commonwealth Games podium in the event since Olusoji Fasuba claimed silver in 2006. The achievement came in the same year he broke Fasuba’s long-standing national record, lowering it from 9.85 seconds to 9.84 seconds.
Jessica Orji also made history after claiming silver in the women’s shot put. She became only the second Nigerian woman to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the event after Vivian Chukwuemeka, who secured gold in 2002 and silver in 2006.
Udodi Onwuzurike completed Nigeria’s list of history-makers by taking silver in the men’s 200m in a season’s best time of 20.09 seconds. His performance ended a 32-year wait for a Nigerian medal in the event, with Daniel Effiong having last reached the podium when he won bronze in 1994.
