Okezie gets world leader, Hudson-Smith; Ogazi battles Hall for 400m semifinal tickets

Chidi Okezie will have to run close to his 44.97 lifetime best to secure a semifinal ticket in his first ever race at the Olympics after the 31-year-old was drawn against four athletes who have run fastest than he has this season including Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith who is the world leader in the event (43.74) and one of only two to have broken 44 seconds this season.

The Nigerian surely has his work cut out as he battles for one of the three automatic tickets on offer for the semifinal of the event.

Also set to be in action on Sunday is Samuel Ogazi, the phenomenal 18 year old whose 44.52 lifetime best is the fastest time by a Nigerian over the distance in 37 years.

Ogazi, the African U18 200m and 400m champion is draw in heat four and will battle American, Quincy Hall, the second man to have broken 44 seconds (43.80) this year for one of the three automatic tickets on offer in the heat.

The Nigerian will also battle Steven Gardiner, a sub-44 seconds runner who has only done a 44.39 this season for one of the tickets as well as Argentina’s Elián Larregina (44.93) and Belgium’s Jonathan Sacoor (44.98) who have both broken 45 seconds this year.