‘He’s got three of the fastest times ever in collegiate history..’: Baylor University Head Coach, Ford On Nathaniel’s record-breaking end to collegiate track and field
Nathaniel Ezekiel brought down the curtain on his stellar collegiate career in spectacular fashion, storming to victory in the men’s 400m hurdles at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field.
The Baylor University senior clocked a jaw-dropping 47.49 seconds, setting a new personal best and rewriting the record books.
Ezekiel’s run not only shattered his own Baylor and Nigerian national records, but also became the No. 3 all-time mark in collegiate history and the second-fastest time in the world this season.
He now holds five of the top ten fastest times ever in the NCAA 400m hurdles.
His performance earned Baylor University its first NCAA title in the event since 2001 and marked a personal milestone for Head Coach Michael Ford—his first national champion in the event as a head coach.
‘Well, I always tell him to always go have fun, just execute like you’ve been doing all year. I said, ‘You’re the only one that has run under 48 this year. Just do what you’ve been doing,’ Coach Michael Ford, via Baylor University Athletics
Continuing, Ford said: ‘I think that was a big key. When we had our team meeting on Tuesday, one of the things I told them was just kind of stay in the moment. Embrace it, because it’s your last one. I told him, a lot of people complain about coming to Hayward Field because of the weather or all this.
‘I just gave him a story, I said my last national championship on the relay was here. When I came back, I think we finished fourth as a team my first year back at Baylor.
‘My first national champion as a coach was here with Trayvon, so I was like, ‘Who’s going to be my first national champ as a head coach out here?’ And he was the one who did it. It’s always going to be special to me, having our first national champion in Nate in the 400 hurdles.’
Ford says the school will never forget what Nathaniel has done in the three years he has spent as a student-athlete.
“It’s always kind of bittersweet. Our season is officially done now for our team. But we went out with a bang with that amazing run from Nathaniel. He’s got three of the fastest times ever in collegiate history. I think that’s just awesome.’
Nathaniel departs the collegiate stage as one of the greatest hurdlers in NCAA history, with an eye on global glory next.
