Ogazi Becomes Third Nigerian Man to Make Bowerman Final
Samuel Ogazi has etched his name into Nigerian track and field history by becoming the third Nigerian man to reach the final of The Bowerman, collegiate athletics’ highest individual honour.
The Alabama standout joins Divine Oduduru and Nathaniel Ezekiel as Nigerian finalists, though neither of his predecessors managed to claim the award. The question now is whether Ogazi can be the first to bring the coveted trophy home.
The USA Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the men’s finalists on Tuesday, naming Ogazi alongside Habtom Samuel of New Mexico and Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn.
Together, the trio amassed seven NCAA titles, four collegiate records, and 13 all-time top-10 performances during the 2026 indoor and outdoor seasons.
Ogazi’s season was nothing short of spectacular. The Kaduna-born sprinter completed a sweep of the NCAA 400m titles, winning both indoor and outdoor championships.
At the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships, he shattered Michael Norman’s collegiate record with a blistering 43.38, cementing his place as the fastest collegian ever over the distance.
Earlier in March, he equaled the recognized indoor world record with a 44.57, tying for third on the all-time global list. He went on to produce multiple sub-44-second runs outdoors, a feat unmatched by any other collegian.
Habtom Samuel, representing New Mexico, dominated the distance events, winning every collegiate race he entered this year and completing the 5000m/10,000m double at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Tharp stunned the athletics world by breaking Aries Merritt’s world record in the 110m hurdles during prelims before securing the NCAA title.
Fan voting for The Bowerman opened on June 30 and runs through July 2, with paper voting continuing until late July. The winner will be announced on December 17 at the USTFCCCA Convention in Grapevine, Texas.
