Commonwealth Games: Five Team Nigeria stars who turned disappointment into success in Glasgow

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Some athletes become champions at the first attempt. Others have to endure disappointment before finally getting their moment.

For Team Nigeria, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games became a story of second chances.

Several athletes who left Birmingham 2022 disappointed returned four years later to rewrite their stories with medals and memorable performances.

PREMIUM TIMES spotlights five athletes who proved that patience, hard work and belief can change everything.

Ezekiel Nathaniel: From sixth place to Commonwealth champion

Ezekiel Nathaniel’s journey is perhaps the biggest redemption story of the Games.

At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, he finished sixth in the men’s 400m hurdles final. It was a valuable learning experience, but far from the result he wanted.

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Instead of giving up, Nathaniel continued to improve. Over the next four years, he became Nigeria’s national record holder and one of the world’s leading 400m hurdlers.

In Glasgow, he returned a different athlete.

He won the gold medal in 48.47 seconds, becoming the first Nigerian man to win the Commonwealth Games title in the event.

The athlete who finished sixth in Birmingham left Glasgow as a champion.

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Nathaniel spoke with PREMIUM TIMES in Glasgow where he expressed delight at being the first Nigerian ever to win a Commonwealth Games Gold medal in the men’s 400m hurdles event.

“That means a lot because it means I’m the first to do it. It sets the standard for anyone coming after me.” The Police officer declared.

Temitope Adeshina: From 10th to the podium

Temitope Adeshina also showed what persistence can achieve.

She finished 10th in the women’s high jump at Birmingham 2022, missing out on the medals.

Rather than allowing that setback to define her career, she kept improving through the NCAA circuit and international competitions.

Her hard work paid off in Glasgow, where she cleared 1.90 metres to win bronze and give Nigeria another athletics medal.

Aside from being a remarkable improvement from where she stood four years earlier, it was a historic feat as Nigeria had never won a medal in this event for more than 70 years.

Adeshina told PREMIUM TIMES just how proud she was to make the podium against all odds.

“Everyone sees it as a bronze medal, but to me, it’s as good as gold because I know everything I went through to get here. That’s why I’m happy. For me, it’s a gold medal, and I’m proud that I was able to make history.” She declared.

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi: Finally getting his gold

He had won African titles, represented Nigeria at the Olympics and World Championships, and regularly competed against the world’s best.

But one title was still missing from his collection—the Commonwealth Games gold medal.

In Glasgow, he finally achieved it.

His throw of 21.07 metres earned him gold and made him the first Nigerian to win the men’s shot put at the Commonwealth Games.

For Enekwechi, it was the reward for years of consistency and determination.

“It means a lot to me, eight years after winning silver medal, I finally won the gold…. The distance I threw doesn’t really matter, only the gold matters to me now” Enekwechi who was Team Nigeria Athletics Captain told PREMIUM TIMES in Glasgow.

Ruth Usoro: From late replacement to silver medallist

Ruth Usoro almost did not compete in Glasgow.

She was not part of Nigeria’s original squad and only joined the team after long jump star Ese Brume became unavailable.

Usoro also had unfinished business.

She finished sixth in the long jump at Birmingham 2022 and was determined to do better if another opportunity came.

When it finally did, she made the most of it.

Her opening jump of 6.87 metres earned her the silver medal which is her first major international outdoor medal.

Usoro justified Nigeria’s decision to include her in the team after Ese Brume was declared unfit to compete in Glasgow.

For Usoro, her medal was quite “divine”

“Going out there, I was just praying, ‘God help me. I just want to bring glory to your name. I just want to bring the medal and make my family, my friends, my coach and my team proud.’ I’m glad this happened. I’m just so thankful to God.” Usoro told PREMIUM TIMES in Glasgow

Udodi Onwuzurike: From sixth to silver

Sprinter Udodi Onwuzurike also enjoyed his redemption moment.

At the Birmingham 2022 Games, he finished sixth in the men’s 200 metres final.

Four years later in Glasgow, he returned stronger and more experienced.

Onwuzurike produced an outstanding run to win silver in the men’s 200m, clocking a season’s best 20.09 seconds.

He later helped Nigeria win bronze in the men’s 4x100m relay, capping an excellent championship.

His performance showed how much he had grown since Birmingham.

“It feels really good to come down here to Glasgow and win this silver medal, the season has had a lot of ups and downs but thank God, I have something to show for my efforts” Udodi told reporters in Glasgow.

A Games to remember

With 10 gold medals in the kitty, Team Nigeria is on course to finish the Glasgow Commonwealth Games as Africa’s highest-ranked nation, thanks largely to athletes who refused to let past disappointments define them.

Sometimes, the biggest victories belong to those who keep believing, keep working and refuse to give up.

That is why Glasgow 2026 will be remembered as not just as Glasgow Games but as Team Nigeria’s Redemption Games.