Men’s 100m gold medalist at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Emmanuel Alobwede Eseme has disclosed the strategy he used that helped him pull off a shock victory over Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi during Tuesday’s final at EDF Scotstoun Stadium.
Sports247 reports that Ajayi was the top favourite heading into the race, as he was second only to Jamaica’s Oblique Seville in the Commonwealth rankings, while Eseme was rated fourth overall, but he still stole the show under torrential rain in Glasgow.
READ ALSO: Glasgow 2026: Ajayi Wins Bronze as Eseme Storms to Commonwealth Games 100m Gold in Historic Glasgow Final
As rain came pouring down, athletes shivered during media interviews and officials struggled to clear water from the tracks, but Eseme braved all odds to power himself into the history book in top podium spot, while Ajayi whimpered, as he dropped way back into third position.
Incidentally, Eseme had qualified fastest for the final in a lifetime best of 9.89 and improved that by 0.6 seconds for a Games record of 9.83, as he held off the challenge of Australia’s second placed Lachlan Kennedy and Ajayi to clinch Cameroon’s first medal of Glasgow 2026.
Eseme’s winning time of 9.83 was a Commonwealth Games record, the third-fastest time this year, taking him up to third on the all-time list of African sprinters, and the Cameroonian disclosed that it was all because of his determination and strong desire to be different, despite the bad weather.
“This is the first time I have raced in these conditions. It was horrible. But we were all racing in the same conditions and I wanted to be that person with the least complaints. That is what worked for me.
“After the semi-final, I just said to myself, ‘You may not be the best starter. They may let you go in the first 50 metres, but just keep it, don’t rush anything and just execute your race.’
“It’s like the hard work has paid off. I worked so hard for this and to be able to reap from all the work I’m doing, I just say thanks to God and my team. I’m very happy,” said Eseme, who powered up from a slow start to win the race.
Sports247 reports further that Esem wiped out the former record of 9.88, which was held by Trinidad & Tobago’s Ato Boldon at Kuala Lumpur 1998 and stood for nearly 30 years, but he’s still 0.3 seconds shy of Usain Bolt’s global best 9.58 set at the World Athletics Championships in 2009.
Incidentally, the Commonwealth’s leading 100m runner before Glasgow 2026, Oblique Seville is not competing at these Games because he opted not to travel for the event, choosing instead to skip the competition alongside other international stars to manage their fitness for the remaing part of this year’s events.
Sadly for Ajayi, who was rated second before heading to Glasgow, he failed to take advantage of Seville’s absence, as glory went to Eseme, who earlier competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics, but shot to prominence early this year when he ran a national record of 9.94 to place second at the Rome Diamond League.
