Ezekiel makes history as 3rd Nigerian in Bowerman final three
Nathaniel Ezekiel, a rising star from Delta State, Nigeria, has sprinted into the history books—becoming the third Nigerian ever and first Baylor University athlete to be named a finalist for The Bowerman, the most prestigious individual award in U.S. collegiate track and field.
Ezekiel joins legendary Nigerian names Blessing Okagbare (2010) and Divine Oduduru (2019) in the exclusive Bowerman final three shortlist. But he’s chasing more than just nomination—he’s aiming to become the first Nigerian to win it.
The recognition comes after a blistering year of dominance on the NCAA circuit. Representing Baylor University, Ezekiel ruled the 400m hurdles, storming to an NCAA title in Eugene with a stunning 47.49 seconds—a time that moved him to No. 3 in collegiate history, trailing only past Bowerman finalists Rai Benjamin and Caleb Dean.
Even more astonishing? He clocked four separate all-time top-10 performances in the event—the only man in history to do so.
His indoor season was just as electric: Ezekiel ran the 7th-fastest 400m in NCAA history and missed gold at the Indoor Championships by just 0.01 seconds.
The selection was made by the Bowerman Advisory Board, a panel of elite experts, based on performances from December 1, 2024, through the conclusion of the 2025 NCAA season.
This December, all eyes will be on Ezekiel at the Bowerman Presentation Ceremony in Grapevine, Texas—where he hopes to bring home the title and etch Nigeria’s name deeper into collegiate track and field’s most elite honor roll.
