Ezekiel Nathaniel has become the first Nigerian to win the men’s 400m hurdles gold medal at the Commonwealth Games (CWG).
The 23-year-old produced a remarkable performance at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday, crossing the finish line in 48.47 seconds to secure the historic victory.
Before Nathaniel’s triumph, Nigeria’s closest achievement in the event came in 1966 when Kingsley Agbabokha claimed silver in what was then known as the 440-yard hurdles.
The victory marked a remarkable turnaround for Nathaniel, who finished sixth in the same event at the previous Commonwealth Games four years ago.
The Nigerian athlete dominated the race from start to finish, holding off the competition despite entering the final as the favourite. England’s Jake Minshull claimed the silver medal, while Jamaica’s Assnie Wilson settled for bronze.
Nathaniel’s victory also delivered Nigeria’s first track gold medal at the Glasgow Games after medal favourites Tobi Amusan and Kayinsola Ajayi both finished with bronze in their respective events.
Moments after Nathaniel’s success, Udodi Onwuzurike added another medal to Nigeria’s tally by winning silver in the men’s 200m final, ending the country’s 32-year wait for a podium finish in the event.
The 23-year-old clocked a season’s best 20.09 seconds, edging past Jamaica’s Christopher Taylor to finish second, while South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile claimed the gold medal.
Onwuzurike’s silver is Nigeria’s best-ever result in the men’s 200m at the Commonwealth Games. The country’s previous medals in the event were bronze finishes by Daniel Effiong in 1994 and David Ejoke in 1996.
The former world U-20 champion, who defeated Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo to win the title in 2021, has battled injuries in recent years before returning to the podium in Glasgow.
With the latest medals, Team Nigeria’s tally at the 2026 Commonwealth Games has risen to 18 medals — nine gold, six silver and three bronze.