Ella Onojuvwevwo Wins Bronze, Ends Nigeria's 32-Year Medal Wait

Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju, a former Commonwealth Games silver medallist, has congratulated Ella Onojuvwevwo. The young athlete ended Nigeria’s 32-year wait for a medal in the women’s 400 metres at the Commonwealth Games.

Onojuvwevwo won a bronze medal at the Glasgow 2026 Games. She finished with a time of 51.00 seconds, coming in behind Jamaica’s Dejanea Oakley and Barbados’ Sada Williams.

This medal is Nigeria’s first in this event since Yusuf-Olukoju won silver at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Yusuf-Olukoju celebrated the achievement. She praised the 21-year-old for bringing Nigeria back to the forefront in one of its traditional athletics events.

“Love you Onojuvwevwo Ella!!! ❤️🇳🇬 You officially broke the curse and brought home a 🥉, making Nigeria’s women’s 400m relevant again! 💪🏾 Thank you for reminding the world that Nigerians still know how to sprint one full lap without asking for directions. 😅🏃🏾‍♀️

“The future is incredibly bright. Keep making us proud, we’re all cheering you on! 🇳🇬🔥 #LA28.”

Onojuvwevwo’s bronze medal is significant for Nigerian athletics. Before her achievement in Glasgow, Nigeria had waited more than thirty years for a Commonwealth Games medal in the women’s one-lap event.

The last medallist for Nigeria was Yusuf-Olukoju, who won silver in Victoria in 1994. This was just four years after she won Nigeria’s first and only Commonwealth Games gold in the event at Auckland in 1990.

With her bronze medal in Glasgow, Onojuvwevwo became only the third Nigerian woman to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the women’s 400m. She joins Yusuf-Olukoju and Charity Opara, who won bronze during Nigeria’s memorable one-three finish at the 1990 Games.

Onojuvwevwo’s achievement has also sparked hope for the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This Olympics will mark 32 years since Falilat Ogunkoya won Nigeria’s last Olympic medal in the women’s 400 metres at the Atlanta 1996 Games.

With a new generation of athletes like Onojuvwevwo stepping onto the international stage, many Nigerian athletics fans are hopeful that history could repeat itself.