Ogazi runs fastest 400m U20 time in the world this year to break Awazie’s 26 year old Nigeria U18 record; Ashe, Ofili dazzle in 100m

Samuel Ogazi is the new Nigeria 400m U18 record holder after the 17 year old ran a 45.35 lifetime best at the 2024 Battle on the Bayou held at the Louisiana
State University’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium in Baton Rouge.

Ogazi was beaten to the top position in the final classification by Christopher Morales Williams who ran 45.18 to win but the Nigerian made history as the
fastest Nigerian U18 to break 45.40 in the event.

Nduka Awazie ran 45.44 to set the mark in Senegal in 1998 and it has stood for all for 26 years until Ogazi, who came to the competition with a 45.91
lifetime best and 46.26 personal season’s best, sped past it.

Ogazi’s time is also the second fastest Nigerian U20 time of all time behind Emmanuel Bamidele (45.28) and the fastest U20 time in the world so far this term.

Meanwhile, Favour Ashe returned to action after an unfortunate brush, as it were, with the Auburn Police to prove he is not a one-race wonder sprinter.

The 21 year sped to a personal season’s best and world leading time best of 9.99 to win the 100m event at the Florida Relays in Florida. He supplanted
Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (10.02)as the fastest man so far this season outdoor.

Also in near imperious form is Godson Oghenebrume who stormed to a 10.17 finish to finish third at the Battle of the Bayou.

Favour Ofili layed down the marker ahead of the Paris Olympic Games after she stormed to a wind-aided (2.6m/s) 10.85 finish to win the 100m event at her alma
matter.

The time is her fastest in all conditions but holds a legal 10.93 lifetime best.

In the women’s 400m, Ella Onojuvwevwo ran 53.03 to place eighth in the final classification while Imaobong Nse Uko was ranked 19th after she ran 55.37, her slowest time since she ran 55.59 in March 2019 at the Nigerian U20/U18 Championships in Ilaro.