Glasgow 2026: Nigeria adds two silvers as relay team, Usoro shine on penultimate day

Team Nigeria's athletics contingent at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow added two silver medals to their tally on Saturday, courtesy of long jumper Ruth Usoro and the men's 4x100m relay team. These achievements reinforce Nigeria's status as the leading African nation on the medals table.

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I'd still think of an activist as a person going off for something they do believe in, but in a way that's not productive.

Usoro delivered a season's best performance in the women's long jump, leaping 6.87 meters on her first attempt. While she fouled her subsequent jumps, her initial mark secured her a silver medal. This performance marks another significant moment in an already successful Games for Nigeria's athletics squad.

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I don't think I would have been as vocal if it was happening somewhere else, because it is on our place.

The men's 4x100m relay team also demonstrated resilience, securing second place in a closely contested final. The quartet of Favour Ashe, Kayinsola Ajayi, Nicholas Fakorede, and Udodi Onwuzurike recorded a season's best of 38.12 seconds. They finished behind Australia, who took gold with 38.07 seconds. Canada was initially third but was disqualified, elevating Nigeria to the silver medal position.

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We all felt very relieved.

These latest medals underscore the consistent performance of Nigeria's sprint team throughout the Games. Earlier, Kayinsola Ajayi won bronze in the men's 100m, ending a 20-year medal drought for Nigeria in the event, and Udodi Onwuzurike claimed silver in the men's 200m. Athletics has been a major contributor to Nigeria's impressive medal haul in Glasgow, alongside weightlifting and para-athletics.

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Without this mining lease application over our heads, we've got a bit more … ability to plan and to be excited about what could happen.