Nathaniel Ezekiel to make 2025 outdoor debut at Michael Johnson Invite Saturday
Nathaniel Ezekiel will make his 2025 outdoor debut on Saturday at the Michael Johnson Invite at the Clyde Hart Track and Field Stadium in Waco, Texas.
The Nigeria 400m hurdles and 400m indoor record holder will be hoping to replicate his indoor form to the outdoor stage as he hopes to become the first Nigerian man to run inside 48 seconds in the 400m barrier run.
The Baylor standout finished runner-up in the 400 meters by 0.01 seconds at the 2025 NCAA DI Indoor Championships. He turned two laps in 45.44, the same time that he ran in the preliminary round.
Just a few weeks before that, Ezekiel ran a 44.74 lifetime best to win the event at the Big 12 Indoor Championships.
This outdoor season, Nathaniel will not only be seeking to go under 48 seconds in the 400m hurdles and break 45 seconds outdoor in the 400m flat, he will also be keen to win his first major title by going for the NCAA outdoor championships title in the 400m hurdles in June.
Last year, he ran 48:00 to set a new Nigeria 400m hurdles record and made it to the podium at the NCAA outdoor championships with his bronze medal finish.
The 21 year old has also been registered for the 400m flat at the meeting in Texas.
Meanwhile, Faith Okwose ran 23.57 to finish third in heat three and seventh overall at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida on Friday. Another Nigerian, Eseroghene Awusa ran 24.10 to finish fifth in heat 1 and 16th in the overall classification.
