Sports
Nigeria’s Women’s 100m Champion Fails Doping Test
Commonwealth Games women’s 100 metres gold
medallist Oludamola Osayomi has tested positive for a banned stimulant, Games Federation chief Mike Fennell said on Monday.
Osayomi’s sample contained the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, which was added to the World Anti Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of banned substances for the first time this year.
The 24-year-old has been suspended but will keep her gold medal until a hearing later
on Monday after her B sample has been tested.
“Any positive test, whether it is in a high-profile event or not, is something that is very much regretted because we all are striving for clean Games, clean sports and clean competitions,’’ said Fennell.
The Nigerian took gold after Australian Sally Pearson, who crossed the line first in Thursday’s race, was disqualified for a false start three hours after the finish.
Natasha Mayers, who crossed the line third in the blue riband sprint to take St Vincent and the Grenadines’ first athletics medal, will be elevated to gold medallist if Osayomi is stripped of the title.
The online edition of a Nigerian newspaper quoted the president of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) as saying that they would back the athlete as they believed she took the substance inadvertently.
“She took medication for her toothache and we strongly suspect that it was that which led to her failed drug test,’’ Solomon Ogba told the paper.
Elias Usman Gora, chef de mission of the Nigeria team, told newsmen he was “shocked and disappointed’’.
“We brought our athletes here to compete and in the right spirit,” he said. “It is very unfortunate if the second test also comes out positive.
“We had done out of competition testing on most of our athletes before coming here, except a few who joined us directly from the United States and Canada. Osayomi happens to be one who joined us from the United States.
“She has been a good athlete and had no problems with doping ever. I just don’t know what happened.’’
A world championship 100m finalist in 2007, Osayomi reached the semi-finals of the sprint at the Beijing Olympics a year later.
Organisers have conducted over 950 tests since the start of the Games, Fennell said, with Osayomi’s the first positive in more than 700 results to date.
“We just want to let everyone know that we are very vigilant,” Fennell added. “This is something we have to work with and do a part in monitoring and eliminating doping in sports.’’
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.