Onwuzurike Wins 200m Silver As Nathaniel’s Gold Lifts Nigeria’s Medal Haul To 18 In Glasgow

Team Nigeria’s impressive campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games gathered further momentum on Friday night as Udodi Onwuzurike sprinted to silver in the men’s 200 metres after Ezekiel Nathaniel struck gold in the men’s 400m hurdles.

The two podium finishes saw Nigeria’s medal tally rise to 18, comprising nine gold, six silver and three bronze, as the country continued one of its strongest performances in Commonwealth Games history.

Onwuzurike produced one of the standout performances of the championships in the men’s 200m final, clocking a season’s best of 20.09 seconds from the outside lane eight to secure the silver medal.

South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile claimed the gold in 19.96 seconds, while Onwuzurike’s impressive run ensured Nigeria maintained its strong showing in the sprint events.

Earlier, Nathaniel was crowned Commonwealth champion in the men’s 400m hurdles after producing a commanding performance to win in 48.47 seconds.

The 23-year-old controlled the race from the opening stages before pulling clear over the closing metres to finish ahead of England’s Jake Minshull, who took silver in 48.99 seconds, while Jamaica’s Assinie Wilson claimed bronze in 49.22 seconds.

Nathaniel’s triumph completed a remarkable turnaround after finishing sixth in the event at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, underlining his rise to become one of the world’s leading 400m hurdlers.

Elsewhere, Jami Schlueter rounded off an encouraging Commonwealth Games debut by finishing seventh in the men’s decathlon with a total of 7,665 points across the ten events.

Schlueter had occupied fourth place after the opening day and remained among the leading contenders through six events before eventually securing a top-seven finish in one of athletics’ most demanding disciplines.

The National Sports Commission hailed another productive day for Team Nigeria, whose athletes have continued to deliver across several disciplines during the Games.

With 18 medals now secured—nine gold, six silver and three bronze—Team Nigeria heads into the closing stages of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games with growing confidence and the ambition of adding to its medal collection before the competition concludes.