Godbless, Ogazi, Nathaniel predicted to win at NCAA Division 1 Track and Field Championships

Tima Godbless has been predicted to become the first Nigerians since 2010 to win the 100m event at this week’s NCAA Division 1 track and field championships scheduled to hold at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

NCAA analyst and journalist, Stan Becton, event-by-event predictions for the most competitive collegiate track and field event in the World, believes Godbless, who stormed to a 10.91 finish at the NCAA First Round event at the end of last month looks a sure bet to succeed Blessing Okagbare, the first and only Nigerian to have won the blue ribband event.

‘Simply making the final in the women’s 100 meters will be a difficult task. Predicting a winner here is no easy choice — and my pick could miss the final. However, I’m going with Tima Godbless after the LSU Tiger ran 10.91 in the East first round.

‘Godbless has progressed with every meet this season, going from 11.20 in March to 11.14 in April to 11.06 at SEC championships to 10.9,’ wrote Becton.

The NCAA analyst and journalist also predicted wins for 400m runner, Samuel Ogazi who won a silver medal on his debut last year, and 400 barrier runner, Nathaniel Ezekiel who looks unstoppable this year after breaking 48 seconds twice this season.

Ogazi is returning to Oregon looking to move from silver to gold while Nathaniel, who is a strong contender for the Bowermann award later this year, is also looking to upgrade to gold in the 400m hurdles after striking bronze last year.

‘My pick from a loaded 400 meter group came down to who I think is most likely to run sub-45 on the championship stage. Samuel Ogazi has run sub-45 twice this year (plus another 45.04 race) and ran 44.52 at last year’s championships. Even last year, Ogazi ran sub-45 twice before Eugene, proving he can run fast even with a lengthy season,’ Becton wrote on the NCAA website.

He also predicted Nathaniel as his favourite for the gold medal.

He wrote: ‘Nathaniel Ezekiel is the only male to break 48 seconds in the 400 hurdles this season. He’s also only running the 400 hurdles individually at championships, scratching from the 400 open where he could’ve been eligible based on his regular season. That singular event focus should drive him to a championship.’

Ogazi will be seeking to become the second Nigerian after Clement Chukwu (1999) to win the men’s 400m gold while Nathaniel is also seeking to emulate the feat performed by Miles Ukaoma in 2014.