Nigerian Athletes to Watch as Commonwealth Games Approaches

The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is just 46 days away. Nigerian athletes are performing well across various sports. The National Sports Commission aims for at least 20 gold medals and a top-five finish. Athletes in their best form are ready to represent Nigeria, PETER AKINBO reports.

Tobi Amusan (Athletics, 100m hurdles)

The world record holder is heading into the Commonwealth Games in top shape.

Amusan started the 2026 season by winning her fourth straight African title in Accra. She then entered the Diamond League with one of her best seasons ever. She finished third in Shanghai and second in Xiamen, where she recorded a season's best of 12.28 seconds. She later won in Rabat, breaking her own meeting record of 12.45 seconds set in 2025.

Recently, she won gold and set a new meet record at the New Taipei Athletics Open in Taiwan. She ran 12.72 seconds despite facing a headwind of -0.3 meters per second. Her 12.28-second time is one of the fastest globally this year and ranks third on her personal list. It's just behind her world record of 12.12 seconds from the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and the 12.24 seconds she achieved at the Meeting de Paris in 2025.

Kanyinsola Ajayi (Athletics, 100m)

Ajayi is the name that has excited Nigerian athletics recently. The 20-year-old sprinter from Auburn University showed his talent at the NCAA East Regional Championships. He ran 9.84 seconds with a legal wind reading of +0.4 meters per second, breaking Olusoji Fasuba’s Nigerian record of 9.85 seconds. That record stood for 20 years since it was set in Doha in May 2006.

This performance made Ajayi the 2026 world leader in the men’s 100m and the fastest Nigerian man ever, surpassing names like Divine Oduduru, Seun Ogunkoya, and Davidson Ezinwa. Even Fasuba, who held the record for two decades, has backed the young athlete to chase the African record of 9.77 seconds held by Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala.

Ajayi still needs to pass the AFN national trials in Lagos from June 20 to 22 to secure his spot in the Commonwealth Games. If he does, he will be one of the top sprinters in Glasgow. AFN president Tonobok Okowa described the NCAA performances as proof that Nigeria’s athletes are “on fire.” Ajayi is expected to draw attention at the Glasgow Games if he comes through the national trials.

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Athletics, Shot put)

Enekwechi is Nigeria’s most dependable field athlete. He continues to impress with another strong gold medal performance. This time, he excelled at the Znamensky Memorial in Russia, throwing 21.27 meters. He finished ahead of Mexico’s Juan Vazquez Gomez, who took silver with 20.13 meters, and Romania’s Andrei Rares Toader, who claimed bronze with 20.02 meters.

Enekwechi has been a key figure for Nigerian shot put on the international scene. He has represented Nigeria at several major competitions and consistently delivered strong results. His performance has helped boost Nigeria's image in throwing events, which are often overshadowed by the country’s sprinting success. His current form makes him a strong medal contender as the Glasgow Games approach.