Athletics Powers Nigeria's Medal Surge as Fatuga Applauds Glasgow Success

Posted : 01 August 2026

Team Nigeria's athletics team has been hailed as the driving force behind the country's impressive medal haul at the ongoing 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with former athlete and entrepreneur Gbolahan Fatuga praising the squad's outstanding contribution to the nation's campaign.

Fatuga said the track and field team had consistently delivered when it mattered most, attributing the success to the commitment of the athletes, coaches, administrators, and sponsors.

According to him, the performances in Glasgow have provided a solid foundation on which Nigeria can build ahead of future international championships.

"Team Nigeria Athletics continues to demonstrate impressive performances as the Commonwealth Games enter their final stages," Fatuga said.

"We started on a strong note and are well-positioned, with excellent momentum, to finish the Games successfully."

He noted that the achievements reflected the collective efforts of all stakeholders involved in the country's athletics programme.

"This outcome is a clear demonstration of the dedication of our athletes and coaches, the support of the government and sports administrators, and the commitment of our individual and corporate sponsors.

"Moving forward, we only need to fine-tune and improve this model as we prepare for the next major international competition," he added.

Fatuga's commendation followed another successful outing for Team Nigeria at Scotstoun Stadium, where Ezekiel Nathaniel produced a dominant performance to win the men's 400m hurdles and secure Nigeria's ninth gold medal of the Games.

Nathaniel crossed the finish line in 48.47 seconds, ahead of England's Jake Minshull, who claimed silver in 48.99 seconds, while Assinie Wilson took bronze in 49.22 seconds.

The victory also earned Nigeria its second athletics gold medal of the Games and marked the biggest international triumph of Nathaniel's career.

In another outstanding performance, Udodi Onwuzurike claimed silver in the men's 200m after clocking a season's best 20.09 seconds from lane eight, finishing behind South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile, who won gold in 19.96 seconds.

Earlier, Jami Schlueter concluded his first Commonwealth Games appearance with a respectable seventh-place finish in the men's decathlon, amassing 7,665 points after remaining among the leading contenders throughout the two-day competition.

The latest results increased Nigeria's overall medal tally to 18, comprising nine gold, six silver, and three bronze medals, with athletics once again emerging as one of the nation's most successful medal-winning sports as the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games draw to a close.

Athletics Powers Nigeria's Medal Surge as Fatuga Applauds Glasgow Success

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