Nigeria Shines at Glasgow 2026 with Amusan in Hurdles Final and 400m Spots Secured

Team Nigeria had a good day on the athletics track at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Thursday. World record holder Tobi Amusan showed her strength with a great performance, while the country’s 400m team boosted its chances for medals.

Amusan proved she is the athlete to beat in the women’s 100m hurdles. She won her first heat in a wind-assisted 12.19 seconds.

Even though this time won't count as an official record because of the +3.8 m/s tailwind, it is the fastest ever in a Commonwealth Games women’s 100m hurdles race.

The Nigerian athlete easily moved into the final, ahead of South Africa’s Marione Fourie, who finished second in 12.50 seconds. Jamaica’s Kerrica Hill came in third with a time of 12.69 seconds.

Success in Men’s 400m

Next, attention turned to the men’s 400m, where Nigeria confirmed two finalists. Edidiong Udo continued his impressive debut at the international level by qualifying for the final with a time of 45.53 seconds in his semifinal.

Running from lane eight, Udo finished third but moved up to second after Jamaica’s Antonio Watson was disqualified. This result means Udo will join Samuel Ogazi in the final, giving Nigeria two strong chances for a medal in this tough event.

Ogazi had already qualified earlier with another strong run, showing he is one of the favorites.

Women’s 400m Performance

There was also good news in the women’s 400m. Ella Onojuvwevwo delivered a solid performance to win her semifinal in 51.47 seconds. The Nigerian athlete took the lead in the final meters to finish ahead of Wales’ Charlotte Henrich, who had a time of 52.13 seconds, and Jamara Patterson, who finished in 52.92 seconds. This win secured her place in the final.

However, it was a disappointing end for Nigeria’s other two runners in the event. Veteran quarter-miler Patience Okon-George finished fifth in the opening semifinal with a time of 53.21 seconds. Esther Elo Joseph came in sixth, finishing in 53.26 seconds. Both missed out on qualifying for the final.

Nigeria entered Thursday’s events as the top-ranked African nation on the medals table. This follows Goodness Nwachukwu’s world-record gold medal in the women’s F42-44/F61-64 discus, which raised the country’s total to seven gold medals.