Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan won the bronze medal in the women’s 100 metres hurdles at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Thursday, bringing to an end her remarkable reign as Commonwealth champion after two successive gold medals.
The Nigerian sprint hurdler crossed the finish line in 12.60 seconds to finish third in the final, missing out on what would have been a historic third consecutive Commonwealth Games title.
The gold medal was won by Devynne Charlton of The Bahamas, who produced an impressive run to finish in 12.33 seconds. Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds claimed the silver medal after clocking 12.41 seconds.
Although Amusan could not defend her title, she extended her impressive record at the Commonwealth Games by securing a third straight podium finish in the event.
The 29-year-old had entered the Glasgow Games as one of Nigeria’s biggest medal hopes and was aiming to become the first woman to win three consecutive Commonwealth Games titles in the women’s 100m hurdles.
She previously won gold at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia before successfully defending the title at the Birmingham 2022 Games in England.
Her quest for history appeared to be on course earlier on Thursday after she delivered an outstanding performance in the qualifying heats.
Amusan comfortably won her heat in a wind-assisted time of 12.19 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded in the history of the Commonwealth Games under any conditions.
However, because the race was run with excessive wind assistance, the time was not eligible for record purposes under international athletics rules.
Even so, her performance boosted expectations that she would retain her title and claim another gold medal for Nigeria.
In the final, however, the race took a different turn.
Charlton made a strong start and maintained her rhythm over the hurdles to take control of the race. The Bahamian athlete crossed the finish line first in 12.33 seconds to win the gold medal.
Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds also produced an impressive performance to finish second in 12.41 seconds, leaving Amusan to settle for the bronze medal with her time of 12.60 seconds.
Despite missing out on the gold medal, Amusan’s achievement remains significant.
By finishing on the podium for the third consecutive Commonwealth Games, she has underlined her consistency as one of the world’s leading sprint hurdlers and one of Nigeria’s most successful track and field athletes.
Over the past several years, Amusan has become one of the biggest names in African athletics.
She made history in 2022 when she won the women’s 100m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, becoming the first Nigerian to win a gold medal at the competition.
During that championship, she also set a world record of 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals before going on to win the final and establish herself among the greatest athletes in the event.
She has also won multiple African Championships titles, Diamond League races and continental honours, making her one of Nigeria’s most decorated female athletes.
Her success has inspired many young Nigerian athletes, particularly women, to pursue careers in athletics.
The Commonwealth Games have also been one of her most successful competitions.
Her victories in Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022 made her one of the few Nigerian athletes to successfully defend a Commonwealth title.
Although her bid for a third straight gold medal ended in Glasgow, she still achieved another milestone by extending her medal-winning streak at the Games.
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games have brought together athletes from across the Commonwealth to compete in different sporting events.
Nigeria is participating in several disciplines, including athletics, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting, table tennis and para-sports, with hopes of improving on its previous medal performances.
Athletics has traditionally been one of Nigeria’s strongest events at major international competitions, producing several Olympic, Commonwealth and African champions over the years.
The country’s athletes have continued to play an important role in Nigeria’s medal campaign at the Games.
Amusan’s bronze medal adds another podium finish to Team Nigeria’s tally and keeps the country’s athletics team among the medal contenders in Glasgow.
Although she narrowly missed making history with a third consecutive Commonwealth title, her latest performance further confirms her place among the greatest athletes Nigeria has produced.
Winning three consecutive medals in the same event at the Commonwealth Games is a rare achievement, reflecting years of consistency, discipline and hard work at the highest level of international competition.
For many Nigerian sports fans, Amusan remains one of the country’s brightest sporting stars despite losing her Commonwealth crown.
Her determination, resilience and record of success have made her a role model for aspiring athletes across the country.
As the Games continue, attention will now shift to Nigeria’s remaining athletes, who will be hoping to add more medals to the country’s total and build on the achievements already recorded in Glasgow.
While the gold medal slipped away this time, Amusan’s bronze medal ensures that her remarkable Commonwealth Games legacy remains intact, with three consecutive podium finishes standing as another landmark in an outstanding international career.