Temitope Adeshina has made history at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after winning bronze in the women’s high jump, ending Nigeria’s 72-year wait for a medal in the event.
Adeshina cleared 1.90 metres to finish third behind Australia’s Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers, becoming the first Nigerian high jumper, male or female, to secure a Commonwealth Games podium finish since Emmanuel Ifeajuna’s gold medal triumph in 1954.
Kola Daniel, Special Adviser on Media to the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade celebrated Adeshina on Wednesday, describing her achievement as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s athletics history.
The medal marks a remarkable turnaround for Adeshina, who finished 10th on her Commonwealth Games debut four years ago. Her return to the competition was characterized by consistency, composure and determination as she battled against a strong international field to claim a podium position.
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Before Adeshina’s feat, only two Nigerians had won Commonwealth Games medals in the high jump. Josiah Majekodunmi secured silver at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, becoming Nigeria’s first-ever Commonwealth Games medallist, while Ifeajuna won gold four years later in Vancouver.
Ifeajuna’s victory in 1954 was also historic as he became the first Black African athlete to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Adeshina’s bronze medal makes her only the third Nigerian athlete to win a Commonwealth Games high jump medal and the first in more than seven decades. Her achievement highlights the continued growth of Nigerian athletics in field events, complementing the country’s traditional strength in sprinting.
The historic performance adds another memorable moment to Team Nigeria’s Glasgow 2026 campaign and further establishes Adeshina as one of the country’s leading athletics talents.
