Ezekiel becomes first Nigerian in 38 years to qualify for World Athletics Championships’ 400m hurdles final

Nathaniel Ezekiel has become the first Nigerian man to qualify for the final of the 400m hurdles since Henry Amike did so 38 years ago in Rome, Italy.

The 22-year-old reigning NCAA champion ran 47.47 seconds to win the second of three semifinal heats at the ongoing 20th World Championships.

The Nigerian record holder in the event will now set his sights on becoming the first Nigerian, and fifth African, to make it to the podium at the World Championships.

He if he does, he will be following in the footsteps of Zambian Samuel Matete, who won gold in 1991 and silver in 1993 and 1995; South African duo Llewellyn Herbert, who won silver in 1997, and L.J. van Zyl, who claimed bronze in 2011; as well as Kenyan Nicholas Bett (now late), who won gold in 2015.

Amike ran 48.63 to place sixth in the event at the second edition of the World Athletics Championships in Rome, Italy, in 1987. He had earlier set a new Nigerian record of 48.50 seconds in the semifinal.