2 days to go: Favor Ashe’s London win boosts Team Nigeria’s gold ambition in men’s 4x100m relay

With just two days to go before the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Team Nigeria’s sprint contingent received another big boost when Favor Ashe claimed an impressive victory at the BFTAA Open in Lee Valley, England.

The Nigerian sprinter claimed victory in the men’s 100m final, clocking 10.06 seconds with a tailwind of +2.6 m/s to finish ahead of Great Britain’s Nicholas Walsh, who ran 10.11 seconds, while Ade Adewale of Great Britain came third in 10.19 seconds.

The performance comes at the perfect time for Team Nigeria, as Ashe prepares to lead the country’s charge in the men’s 4x100m relay, one of the most anticipated events on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games athletics programme.

Nigeria has a rich history in men’s sprinting. Among many historic nights for the nation were Olapade Adeniken and Davidson Ezinwa, both with sixth place finishes in the men’s 100 meters at the Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games respectively, while Olusoji Fasuba etched his name in history by winning gold in the men’s 100 meters at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Nigerian to achieve the feat.

The country’s success in the men’s 4x100m relay has also been notable over the years. At the 1997 World Athletics Championships in Athens, the quartet of Osmond Ezinwa, Olapade Adeniken, Francis Obikwelu and Davidson Ezinwa won silver after setting the Nigerian record of 37.94 seconds in the semi-finals, a mark that still stands today.

Nigeria followed that performance with another podium finish at the World Championships in Seville in 1999, where Innocent Asonze, Francis Obikwelu, Daniel Effiong and Deji Aliu combined to win bronze in 37.91 seconds, then an African record.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Nigerian relay team of Onyeabor Ngwogu, Obinna Metu, Chinedu Oriala and Uchenna Emedolu, with Adetoyi Durotoye also part of the team, subsequently won the silver medal following Jamaica’s disqualification.

The country’s Commonwealth Games relay pedigree has continued to grow in recent years. Seye Ogunlewe, Mark Jelks, Ogho-Oghene Egwero and Divine Oduduru won bronze at Glasgow 2014 before Seye Ogunlewe, Divine Oduduru, Raymond Ekevwo and Emmanuel Arowolo claimed another bronze medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Games.

Nigeria recorded its best Commonwealth Games result in the men’s 4x100m relay at Birmingham 2022, where Favor Ashe, Raymond Ekevwo, Alaba Akintola and Udodi Onwuzurike combined to win silver, finishing just behind Kenya.

As the athletics competition begins on Thursday, July 23, Team Nigeria once again boasts one of its deepest sprint teams in recent history. The relay group includes Israel Sunday Okon, Fakorede Adekalu, Kanyinsola Ajayi, Favor Ashe, Alaba Akintola, Udodi Onwuzurike and Chidera Ezeakor, giving the coaching team plenty of options to select the fastest and most balanced quartet.

Nigeria comes into the competition with genuine aspirations of winning their first Commonwealth Games gold medal in the men’s sprint relay. With multiple athletes capable of producing world-class performances and a combination of experience and youthful speed, expectations are high that the Nigerian team can finally turn decades of relay excellence into a historic Commonwealth Games gold medal.