Ogazi out to rewrite Nigeria’s 36-year-old unwanted Olympics 400m record
Samuel Ogazi is looking like the next big thing in Nigerian track and field and the 18 year old has the task of rewriting an unwanted Olympic record set by Nigeria quarter milers at the Games.
Ogazi will be running in the semifinals of the 400m on Tuesday at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the first time a Nigerian man is competing at this stage of the Olympics since 2008 when the duo of Godday james and Saul Weigopwa ran in the semis at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
While the duo, like Sunday Bade before them failed to advance any further after Innocent Egbunike last did in 1988, Ogazi now has the task of ensuring a 36-year wait is over.
The African U18 200m and 400m champion will be hoping to become the third Nigerian after Sunday Uti and Egbunike to run in the final of the event, and the first since 1988 in Seoul, South Korea to do so.
For him to fulfil this dream, he has to get past majorly three of the eight hurdles that have been placed in front of him in his semifinal heat.
Ogazi will to race to the finish line first or second before 400m world leader at 43.74, Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain, Michael Norman of the USA (44.10) and Canada’s Christopher Morales-Williams.
The Nigerian’s impressive, 44.50 performance in the first round shows he has the heart to surmount hurdles.
