Nigeria’s athletics team strengthened its medal prospects at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Ella Onojuvwevwo, Samuel Ogazi and Edidiong Okon Udo advancing to finals scheduled for today.
Key takeaways
- Onojuvwevwo won the women’s 400m semi-final in 51.47 seconds.
- Ogazi posted the quickest men’s 400m qualifying time with 44.52 seconds.
- Udo progressed after Antonio Watson was disqualified.
- Patience Okon George and Esther Elo Joseph were eliminated from the women’s event.
- Ezekiel Nathaniel led the 400m hurdles qualifiers in 48.69 seconds.
Nigerians advance in the 400m
Onojuvwevwo delivered a commanding display in the women’s 400m, crossing the line first in her semi-final in 51.47 seconds. The 20-year-old comfortably finished ahead of Wales’ Charlotte Henrich and goes into the medal race as one of the leading contenders.
Her time was the second fastest recorded across the three semi-finals. Nigeria’s more experienced runners, Patience Okon George and Esther Elo Joseph, were unable to join her in the final after placing fifth and sixth respectively in the opening semi-final.
Ogazi was equally impressive in the men’s 400m. He won the first semi-final in 44.52 seconds, making it the fastest qualifying performance of the competition and reinforcing his credentials as a medal challenger.
Udo also secured a place in the final, finishing behind Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards in the third semi-final. His passage was confirmed when Jamaica’s Antonio Watson was disqualified.
The result means Nigeria will have two representatives in the men’s 400m final, giving the team a stronger chance of returning to the Commonwealth podium.
Nathaniel leads the hurdles qualifiers
Commonwealth champion Ezekiel Nathaniel further underlined his gold-medal ambitions in the 400m hurdles. He won his heat in 48.69 seconds, the fastest qualifying mark among the finalists.
England’s Jake Minshull came home second in the heat, while India’s Santhosh Tamilarasan took the third automatic qualification position.
With Onojuvwevwo and Nathaniel pursuing podium places, and Ogazi and Udo preparing for the men’s 400m medal contest, Nigeria remains strongly placed to add to its athletics success in Glasgow.
