Nigeria’s Wait for New Commonwealth 100m Queen Extends to 2030

Nigeria’s search for a successor to Commonwealth Games women’s 100m champion Blessing Okagbare will continue until at least 2030 after the country failed to qualify a finalist in the event at the Glasgow 2026 Games.

For the second time in the last three editions of the Games, Nigeria will have no representative in the women’s 100m final after Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu, the only fit Nigerian in the semi-finals, finished fourth in her race and missed out on qualification.

The country’s biggest medal hope, Rosemary Chukwuma, saw her campaign ended by a troublesome hamstring injury. The Nigerian, who finished fourth in the Birmingham 2022 final, was unable to compete at full speed and could only jog home in 11.82 seconds to place eighth in her semi-final.

Nigeria’s hopes had already suffered another setback before the race after Biodun Ogundiran was forced to withdraw from the competition following appendicitis surgery, leaving the team with only two starters in the semi-finals.

The disappointing outcome means Nigeria’s wait for another Commonwealth Games women’s 100m finalist continues after also failing to produce one at the Gold Coast 2018 Games.

The country’s last Commonwealth champion remains Blessing Okagbare in 2014.