Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel clinches Commonwealth 400m hurdles gold

By God’sbest Christ’sfullness

Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel won the men’s 400m hurdles gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Friday, finishing first in 48.47 seconds to strengthen Team Nigeria’s impressive campaign.

The 23-year-old pulled away from the field in the closing stages to beat England’s Jake Minshull, who claimed silver in 48.99 seconds, while Jamaica’s Assinie Wilson took bronze with 49.22 seconds.

The victory increased Nigeria’s gold medal tally at the Games to nine, extending the country’s strong performance across several events.

Nathaniel entered the final as the fastest qualifier after winning Heat Two in 48.69 seconds. Minshull qualified next in 48.88 seconds, while India’s Santhosh Tamilarasan advanced in 49.51 seconds.

The Delta State-born athlete, who holds the Nigerian 400m hurdles record of 47.86 seconds, arrived in Glasgow with an impressive record, having reached the semi-finals at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships as well as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Nathaniel began his rise at Baylor University in the United States after leaving Nigeria in 2022. He broke the Nigerian record during his freshman year, becoming the university’s first national champion in the 400 m hurdles event by winning the 2025 NCAA Outdoor title with a personal best of 47.49 seconds. He also received the men’s track athlete of the year award.

After maintaining consistent performances throughout the competition, Nathaniel completed his campaign by securing the Commonwealth title for Nigeria.

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