Chukwuebuka Enekwechi made history on Thursday by winning Nigeria’s first-ever men’s shot put gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, as Team Nigeria continued its impressive medal campaign at the 2026 edition in Glasgow.
The African record holder produced a winning throw of 21.07 metres to finish ahead of New Zealand’s Tom Walsh and England’s Scott Lincoln, securing a landmark victory for Nigeria in the event.
Enekwechi’s triumph capped another productive day for Team Nigeria, with the country also recording medals and strong performances across the athletics programme.
Earlier, teenage athlete Jessica Oji claimed silver in the women’s shot put, becoming the first Nigerian woman to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the event since 2006.
Amusan Battles Through Injury to Win Bronze
World record holder Tobi Amusan later added another medal to Nigeria’s tally after winning bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles despite competing with an injury.
Amusan revealed after the race that she had been dealing with an injury sustained in a fall before the championships but was determined to compete for Nigeria.
“I’ve been dealing with the injury from the fall, but I wanted to come out here and give my best for Nigeria,” Amusan said.
The Nigerian had earlier produced the fastest women’s 100m hurdles time in Commonwealth Games history, winning her heat in 12.19 seconds with a strong tailwind of 3.8m/s.
Although she was unable to secure a third consecutive Commonwealth Games title, her bronze medal extended Nigeria’s impressive showing in athletics.
More Progress on the Track
Nigeria also advanced in the men’s 400m, with Samuel Ogazi and Edidiong Udo booking places in Saturday’s final after successfully negotiating their respective semi-finals.
In the decathlon, Jami Schlueter remained in contention after another consistent series of performances, staying among the chasing pack behind Olympic champion Damian Warner as the competition entered its final stages.
Nigeria also featured in track cycling at the velodrome, where the country’s cyclists gained valuable experience competing against some of the Commonwealth’s leading cycling nations. Although they narrowly missed out on the medal rounds, their performances provided further exposure for Nigeria’s developing cycling programme.
With Enekwechi making history, Oji breaking new ground, and Amusan showing resilience to claim bronze despite injury, Thursday proved another memorable day for Team Nigeria as the Glasgow Commonwealth Games moved towards their final stages.
