Can Ogazi become the second Nigerian to win a World Championships 400m medal and break Egbunike’s record as the fastest in the competition?
In 2024, Samuel Ogazi etched his name into Nigerian athletics history by becoming the first Nigerian since 1988 to run in the final of the men’s 400m at the Olympic Games, some 37 years after Innocent Egbunike last did so in Seoul, South Korea.
Ogazi not only became the third Nigerian to reach the final of the event after Egbunike and Sunday Uti, he also made history as the fastest Nigerian 400m runner in Olympic history.
His blistering 44.41 personal best, set during the semifinal at the Stade de France in Paris, stands as the fastest time ever recorded by a Nigerian in the event at the Games.
Now, Ogazi is aiming to make history again, this time at the World Athletics Championships, by becoming the second Nigerian man after Egbunike to mount the 400m podium.
Nigerians are hopeful that the Ogazi who shows up in Tokyo will be the same one who ran 44.43 to win the NCAA 400m title, rather than the post-NCAA version who struggled to inspire confidence.
If the former shows up, there’s genuine belief that Nigeria could witness something even more remarkable than what unfolded in Paris a year ago.
Ogazi will be striving to become the first Nigerian to reach the final of the men’s 400m at the World Championships since 1995, when Sunday Bada (now late) ran 45.50 to finish eighth.
Bada would later play a pivotal role in dragging Nigeria to the podium in the men’s 4x400m relay, securing a bronze medal.
However, for Ogazi to become the second Nigerian male 400m runner to hold the fastest time at both the Olympics (44.41) and the World Championships, he will need to set a new personal best, one that surpasses Egbunike’s legendary 44.26 run.
Egbunike remains not only the only Nigerian medalist in the history of the event at the World Championships, but also the fastest.
His 44.26 semifinal performance in Rome qualified him for the final with the fastest time and made him the hot favorite for gold. In that heat, he even beat eventual winner Thomas Schönlebe (44.56).
Things did not work out in the final and the Nigerian had to settle for a silver medal behind Schönlebe.
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