Emmanuel Eseme Explains How He Conquered Rain to Win Historic Commonwealth Games 100m Gold

Newly crowned 100m champion Emmanuel Eseme has opened up about how he overcame the challenging chilly weather conditions to storm to victory at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday evening.

The Cameroonian sprinter produced a sensational performance, crossing the finish line in a Commonwealth Games record and national record time of 9.83 seconds to edge Australia's Lachlan Kennedy, who settled for silver in 9.85 seconds.

Nigeria's Kanyinsola Ajayi completed the podium after clocking an impressive 9.90 seconds, making it one of the fastest and most competitive Commonwealth Games 100m finals in history.

Speaking after his victory, Emmanuel Eseme said he refused to let the cold and wet conditions become a distraction, noting that every athlete in the final had to compete under the same circumstances.

Eseme explained that instead of worrying about the weather, he concentrated on sticking to his race plan and trusting the execution he had prepared for.

The Cameroonian revealed that he expected to trail his rivals over the opening stages of the race, but remained confident in his finishing speed and deliberately resisted the temptation to react to those around him too early.

He added that he stayed patient, maintained his rhythm through the latter stages of the sprint, and when he realised the leaders were still within reach, he backed himself to produce a strong finish that ultimately carried him to the gold medal.

“You know, I wasn't really a rain baby, but, you know, all of us were running in the weather; you know, the weather didn't just affect some lanes, so I didn't want to make the weather so much of a big deal because all of us were running in it,” Emmanuel Eseme said.

“So, I just like to focus on the race, forget about the rain, do your execution, and everything is going to be good. I was executing my race. I knew for the first 60, 70m I was going to be back. But I said to myself, do not follow them.

“Do not take the transition. Keep on pushing. I know if I wake up and they're still there, I'm going to catch them. When I saw them still there, I was just like, okay, let's try this. Let's go. I think that's what really helped me.”

Eseme further attributed his success to unwavering self-belief, saying confidence in his abilities and a commitment to executing his race plans had been the foundation of his achievements.

He explained that his ambition extends beyond personal success, as he is determined to inspire more Africans to believe they can compete with and defeat the world's best sprinters on the biggest stages.

The Commonwealth champion noted that through his foundation, he has been encouraging young athletes to pursue the sport, stressing that elite sprinting is not reserved for athletes from traditional powerhouses such as the United States and Jamaica.

He added that performances like his are helping to change perceptions across the continent, with more young people beginning to recognise Africa's potential in athletics and showing greater interest in taking up the sport.

“First of all, because I believe in myself, I believe in the skills I have, and I just execute the races. The inspiration is just my objective. I set the objective very high, and I also wanted to make Africans believe that we are capable of doing it,” he said.

“I have a foundation; I motivate the younger ones. The Americans and the Jamaicans are not from space. If they can do the max, we too can do the max. So I believe that my doing this makes me the fact-setter, and with all of this, a lot of people are beginning to take up athletics.

“A lot of people are beginning to move away from the other sport and into athletics because we have seen our potential.”

Addressing suggestions that he is targeting Ferdinand Omanyala's African record, Eseme said his primary focus is not on chasing specific marks but on maximising his full potential as a sprinter.

He explained that any records would simply be a byproduct of reaching his highest level, adding that whether that ultimately means breaking the African record or even challenging the world record, he is determined to discover just how fast he can become.

The Cameroonian emphasised that, for now, his priority is to remain consistent in every aspect of his preparation, including training, nutrition, and recovery, expressing confidence that sustained hard work will eventually allow him to achieve something truly special.

“Well, that's not really my ambition. My ambition is just to get to the full extent of that potential. I want to see how fast they make it. If running the African record is how fast I can do, then good. If running the world record is how fast I can go, that's good,” he added.

“But now my objective is just to be able to continue what I'm doing. Continue working really hard. Nutrition, medicals, training. I believe that someday I may be able to do something really great.”