Ajayi Leads Nigeria's Charge as Commonwealth 100m Titles Go on the Line

Posted : 28 July 2026

Nigeria's sprint squad will take centre stage on Tuesday as six athletes bid for places in the men's and women's 100 metres finals at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with national record holder Kanyinsola Ajayi emerging as one of the leading contenders for gold.

Ajayi enters the competition in outstanding form after posting a personal and season's best of 9.84 seconds, making him one of the favourites in a field packed with some of the Commonwealth's fastest sprinters.

The Nigerian was among several top-ranked athletes, including Cameroon's Emmanuel Eseme, Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala and Canada's Jerome Blake, who received automatic passage to the semi-finals.

The men's race is expected to be one of the highlights of the athletics programme, with the quality of the field comparable to that of a World Championships or Olympic final.

Although Monday's heats produced no sub-10-second performances, as athletes appeared to conserve energy for the decisive rounds, Ghana's Benjamin Azamati recorded the fastest time of 10.00 seconds, while compatriot Abdul-Rasheed Saminu followed closely with 10.01 seconds.

Nigeria's Favour Ashe looked comfortable in qualifying, clocking 10.10 seconds, while compatriot Adekalu Fakorede also progressed after running 10.21 seconds.

Nigeria and South Africa have three athletes each in the semi-finals, while Ghana and Kenya will each be represented by two sprinters, setting the stage for a fierce battle for podium places.

Apart from Ajayi, Ashe will also be aiming to build on his recent 9.93-second performance, while Fakorede hopes to continue his impressive rise on the international stage.

Ajayi is expected to face strong challenges from Saminu, who also owns a personal best of 9.84 seconds, South Africa's Gift Leotlela (9.87), as well as experienced campaigners Omanyala and Eseme.

Jamaica's Ackeem Blake, Australia's Lachlan Kennedy and Wales' Jeremiah Azu are also regarded as serious contenders for the medals.

In the women's competition, Nigeria will be represented by Rosemary Chukwuma, Blessing Ogundiran and Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu, with all three seeking places in the final.

Ogundiran enters the event with a season's best of 10.98 seconds, while Chukwuma's experience and consistency make her one of Nigeria's strongest medal prospects.

Ezechukwu, competing at her first major championship outside Africa, will be looking to continue her impressive development by reaching the final.

The Nigerian trio will face stiff competition from Canada's Sade McCreath, who has a season's best of 10.86 seconds, Jamaica's Jonielle Smith (10.89), and England's Amy Hunt, ensuring another high-quality contest for the Commonwealth sprint crown.

With several Nigerian athletes in strong form, the country will be hoping to secure multiple places in the finals and challenge for medals in both the men's and women's events. A successful outing would further strengthen Nigeria's reputation as one of Africa's leading sprinting nations.

Ajayi Leads Nigeria's Charge as Commonwealth 100m Titles Go on the Line

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