Fatuga lauds Team Nigeria athletics as Nathaniel’s gold crowns Commonwealth outing
By Uzor Odigbo
Former athlete and sports entrepreneur Gbolahan Fatuga has lauded Team Nigeria Athletics for its performance at the ongoing 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Fatuga said the impressive outing by Nigeria’s track and field athletes reflects the dedication of the athletes and coaches, as well as the support provided by sports administrators, government and corporate partners.
“Team Nigeria Athletics continues to demonstrate impressive results as the Commonwealth Games enter their final stage,” Fatuga said.
“We started on a strong note and are well-positioned with excellent momentum to finish the Games successfully.”
According to him, the team’s success is a product of collective effort and a model that should be sustained and further improved ahead of future international competitions.
“This outcome is a clear showcase of the dedication of our athletes and coaches, the support of government and sports leadership, and the commitment of our individual and corporate sponsors.
“Moving forward, we need to fine-tune and improve upon this model as we prepare for the next major international competition,” he added.
Fatuga’s commendation came after another memorable outing for Team Nigeria at Scotstoun Stadium, where Ezekiel Nathaniel powered to victory in the men’s 400m hurdles to hand Nigeria its ninth gold medal of the Games and the country’s second athletics gold.
Nathaniel produced a commanding performance, clocking 48.47 seconds to finish ahead of England’s Jake Minshull, who claimed silver in 48.99 seconds, while Assinie Wilson settled for bronze in 49.22 seconds.
The Nigerian hurdler timed his race to perfection, taking control in the closing stages to secure the biggest international title of his career and further cement Nigeria’s rich tradition in the 400m hurdles.
Team Nigeria also celebrated another podium finish in the men’s 200m, with Udodi Onwuzurike sprinting to a season’s best of 20.09 seconds to claim the silver medal from lane eight. South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile won the gold in 19.96 seconds.
Earlier, Jami Schlueter concluded an impressive Commonwealth Games debut by finishing seventh in the men’s decathlon with 7,665 points.
Having ended the opening day in fourth place, Schlueter remained among the leading contenders before sealing a commendable top-seven finish in one of athletics’ most demanding events.
The latest performances lifted Team Nigeria’s overall medal haul to 18 medals, 9 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze, with athletics once again emerging as one of the nation’s strongest medal-winning sports as the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games draw to a close.
