One of Team Nigeria’s gold expectations at the ongoing Commonwealth Games slipped off Tuesday night as national record holder in 100m Kanyisola Ajayi failed to nick the gold.
Though Ajayi produced a brilliant performance to win the bronze medal,but his pre-Commonwealth Games performance had made him the obvious favourite in the absence of World Champion, Oblique Seville.
Nigeria has never won the men’s 100m at the Commonwealth Games with Olusoji Fasuba being the last Nigeria to nick a silver medal in 2006 behind Asafa Powell on March 20, 2006 in Melbourne Australia.
While Powell powered home to victory in 10.03 seconds, Fasuba finished in 10.11 seconds
Ajayi picked the bronze in 9.90 seconds with a legal wind of +1.3m/s in a high-quality final, while Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme surprisingly nicked the gold medal in a Games record time of 9.83 seconds, with Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy claiming the silver in 9.85 seconds.
Team Nigeria had earlier been dealth a big blow in the women’s race with all three entrants Blessing Ogundiran, Rosemary Chukwuma and Miracle Ezechukwu failing to make the final.
Rosemary Chukwuma: Competed in Semi-final 1 from lane four, but pulled up during the race, Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu ran in Semi-final 3 from lane six, clocking 11.23 seconds to finish 4th in wet conditions and narrowly missing the final as 9th overall.
Ogundiran did not start her semi final .
Meanwhile, reports coming from Glasgow says Blessing Ogundiran has pulled out of Team Nigeria’s athletics campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to health challenges.
Her withdrawal comes just days after fellow Nigerian athlete Israel Okon was also ruled out of the Games due to injury, further reducing the country’s options on the track ahead of crucial events.
The latest development leaves Team Nigeria with a depleted athletics squad as coaches and officials adjust their plans for the remainder of the Games.
Despite the setbacks, the Nigerian contingent will be hoping the remaining athletes can rise to the occasion and deliver strong performances in Glasgow.
