Commonwealth Games: Ashe Powers To 10.10s Heat Win, Joins Fakorede In 100m Semi Finals

Favour Ashe delivered a dominant 10.10-second victory in his 100m heat at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, easing into the semi-finals alongside compatriot Nicholas Fakorede.

Ashe outpaced Kenya’s Meshack Babu (10.21s) and Guyana’s Akeem Stewart (10.55s) to top his race. Fakorede secured his semifinal spot with a second-place finish in 10.21s, trailing Lesotho’s Mojela Koneshe, who set a national record of 10.07s. Singapore’s Marc Brian Louis took third in a season-best 10.38s.

Nigeria’s third entrant, Kanyinsola Ajayi, received a bye directly to the semis. All three Nigerians will compete on Tuesday for final berths, with Ashe in semifinal 1, Ajayi in semifinal 2, and Fakorede in semifinal 3.

The semi-final lineup promises stiff competition, with Ashe drawn against Jamaica’s reigning Commonwealth champion and England’s top seed, both of whom ran sub-10 seconds in their heats. Fakorede faces a stacked third semifinal that includes the 2022 silver medallist from South Africa and a fast-rising sprinter from Australia. Ajayi, despite his bye, will need to hit peak form quickly after limited competitive reps leading into the Games.

Team Nigeria’s sprint coach, Adebayo Oladipo, expressed cautious optimism, stating, “Ashe’s time is encouraging, but we know the semis are a different beast. Fakorede showed great composure against a national-record run, and Ajayi has been sharp in training. If they execute their race plans, we could see at least one in the final—possibly more.” The men’s 100m final is set for Tuesday evening, with all three Nigerians aiming to become the country’s first finalist since 2014.