Ogazi Makes History, Wins Nigeria’s First Commonwealth Games Men’s 400m Gold
Samuel Ogazi etched his name into Nigerian athletics history on Saturday by becoming the country’s first-ever Commonwealth Games men’s 400m champion after producing a brilliant run to claim gold at the Glasgow 2026 Games.
The 20-year-old stormed to victory in 44.25 seconds at Scotstoun Stadium, finishing comfortably ahead of defending champion Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, who took silver in 44.82 seconds, while South Africa’s Zakithi Nene claimed bronze in 45.21 seconds.
The victory ended Nigeria’s 32-year wait for a Commonwealth Games medal in the men’s one-lap event and delivered the country’s first title since the event was introduced.
Before Ogazi’s triumph, Sunday Bada’s bronze medal at the 1994 Games in Victoria, Canada, stood as Nigeria’s only podium finish in the discipline.
Ogazi’s victory also made him the first Nigerian, and only the second African man after Kenya’s Charles Asati, to win the Commonwealth Games men’s 400m title.
Asati claimed gold in 1970 before successfully defending his crown in 1974, and no other African had won the event since then.
The gold medal is another milestone in what has been a remarkable season for Ogazi, who arrived in Glasgow as the fastest man in the field with a world-leading personal best of 43.38 seconds. He lived up to that billing with a composed and commanding performance to deliver one of Nigeria’s most significant athletics victories at the Games.
Compatriot Edidiong Okon Udo also featured in the historic final, finishing eighth in 45.81 seconds to mark the first time Nigeria had two finalists in the men’s 400m at a Commonwealth Games.
