Commonwealth Games 2026: Samuel Ogazi Defeats Former World Champion To Clinch 400m Gold

By Saheed Afolabi

Nigeria’s remarkable run at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games hit another landmark on Saturday when 19-year-old Samuel Ogazi delivered a commanding performance to win the men’s 400 metres and secure the nation’s 10th gold medal of the Games.

The teenage quarter-miler clocked a superb 44.25 seconds, pulling clear of a high-quality field to become Commonwealth champion and reinforce his status as one of athletics’ most exciting young talents.

Trinidad and Tobago’s former world champion Jereem Richards took silver in 44.82 seconds, with South Africa’s Zakithi Nene claiming bronze in 45.21. Nigeria’s second finalist, Edidiong Okon Udo, fought hard against elite competition and finished eighth in 45.81 after an impressive campaign to reach the final.

Ogazi’s triumph marks the latest chapter in a rapid rise that has captured attention across the sport. The Delta State native first made his mark with medals at the African junior championships before bursting onto the global scene in 2024. At the Paris Olympics he became one of the youngest athletes ever to reach the men’s 400m final, holding his own among the world’s best and signalling the arrival of a genuine generational talent for Nigeria.

Since then the teenager has steadily climbed, posting world-class times and establishing himself among Africa’s leading one-lap specialists. In Glasgow he looked every bit the champion: he won his heat, dominated the semi-finals and entered the final as one of the favourites. He repaid that billing emphatically, racing with confidence before surging clear off the final bend to seal one of the biggest victories of his young career.

Ogazi’s gold lifts Team Nigeria’s overall medal count to 19 (10 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze), with further opportunities still available before the Games close.

At just 19, Samuel Ogazi has already reached an Olympic final and now stands as Commonwealth champion a remarkable early chapter in what promises to be a stellar career.