Nathaniel storms to historic gold in men’s 400m hurdles
Ezekiel Nathaniel won Nigeria’s first-ever gold in the men’s 400m hurdles at the Commonwealth Games, clocking 48.47 seconds to end a 60-year wait for victory in the event.
Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel, the third-fastest athlete in the world this year, delivered a performance for the ages on Friday night at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, storming to gold in the men’s 400m hurdles. The 23-year-old dominated the race, clocking 48.47 seconds to become the first Nigerian in history to win the event at the Games.
Nathaniel looked a class apart throughout the final at Scotstoun Stadium. He made an explosive start, quickly settled into his rhythm, and powered away from the chasing pack over the closing metres. Though he tired over the final hurdles, he kept his form to secure a resounding victory. England’s Jake Minshull broke 49 seconds to pick up a superb silver in 48.99 seconds, with Assinie Wilson of Jamaica taking bronze in 49.22 seconds.
The victory marks a remarkable turnaround for Nathaniel, who finished sixth in the same event at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It also ended a 60-year wait for Nigeria in the men’s 400m hurdles. The closest a Nigerian had previously come was Kingsley Agbabokha’s silver medal at the 1966 Games, when the event was known as the 440-yard hurdles. Nathaniel’s gold was also Nigeria’s first on the track in Glasgow, following bronze-medal finishes by Tobi Amusan and Kayinsola Ajayi in their respective events.
His victory pushed Team Nigeria’s medal tally at the Games to 18, comprising nine golds, six silvers and three bronzes .
The winners: Ezekiel Nathaniel, who has made history and cemented his place among the world’s elite hurdlers; and Team Nigeria, which has continued its impressive campaign in Glasgow. The losers: the athletes who could not match his pace; and the Nigerian public, who now have high expectations for the country’s track and field stars.
Bottom Line: Nigeria’s 60-year wait for a Commonwealth men’s 400m hurdles gold is over. Ezekiel Nathaniel is a champion. The question is whether he can go even faster.