Glasgow 2026: Nathaniel Clinches Gold, Onwuzurike Takes Silver in Strong Day for Team Nigeria

Glasgow 2026: Nathaniel Clinches Gold, Onwuzurike Takes Silver in Strong Day for Team Nigeria

By Niyi Busari 

Team Nigeria delivered another impressive performance on Day Eight of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding one gold and one silver medal to its tally as Ezekiel Nathaniel claimed the men's 400m hurdles title and Udodi Onwuzurike secured silver in the men's 200m final on Friday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The latest podium finishes further strengthened Nigeria's medal haul, highlighting another successful day for the country's athletes in Glasgow.

Nathaniel produced a composed and dominant display in the men's 400m hurdles, crossing the finish line in 48.47 seconds to win his first Commonwealth Games gold medal. England's Jake Minshull finished second in 48.99 seconds, while Jamaica's Assinie Wilson claimed bronze with a time of 49.22 seconds.

The victory marks a significant milestone in Nathaniel's career, completing an impressive turnaround after finishing sixth in the same event at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Four years later, he returned to the Commonwealth stage to claim the title with an authoritative performance.

Nigeria's success continued in the men's 200m final, where Udodi Onwuzurike produced one of the standout performances of the championships. Running from lane eight, the Nigerian sprinter clocked a season's best of 20.09 seconds (+1.7m/s) to earn the silver medal behind South Africa's Sinesipho Dambile, who won gold in 19.96 seconds.

Earlier in the day, Jami Schlueter concluded an impressive Commonwealth Games debut in the men's decathlon, finishing seventh overall with 7,665 points. Schlueter remained among the leading contenders throughout the competition after ending the opening day in fourth place, before securing a commendable top-seven finish in one of athletics' most demanding events.

Following Friday's performances, Nigeria's medal tally now stands at nine gold, six silver and three bronze medals, bringing the country's total to 18 medals.

With only a few days of competition remaining, Team Nigeria heads into the closing stages of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with growing confidence and momentum as it seeks to further improve its medal standing and conclude the Games on a strong note.