Ezekiel, Ogazi Break Nigeria’s Jinx In 400m

As Team Nigeria continues to compete at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris, the nation’s athletes have made remarkable strides.
National Record Holder, Ezekiel Nathaniel,  yesterday  broke  a 12-year jinx  by qualifying for the semifinals of the men’s 400m hurdles event, while Samuel Ogazi shattered a 16-year jinx  by advancing to the semifinals in the men’s 400metres.
Nathaniel became the first Nigerian athlete in 12 years to reach the semifinals of the 400m hurdles at the Olympics.
He secured his spot by finishing 2nd in heat 4 with a time of 48.32 seconds, earning an automatic qualification.
The last Nigerian to reach this stage in the event was Amaechi Morton at the London 2012 Olympics.
Nathaniel, according to Making of Champions, has been having a fantastic season, from bettering his National Record (NR) to qualifying for the Olympics and winning Bronze at the NCAA Championships.
He  had an impressive run from lane 3 to place second  in 48.38s, which is his fourth fastest time ever.
Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke won the race in 48.17s, and Wilfried Happio took the last automatic spot in 48.42s
In the men’s 400m event, Samuel Ogazi ran a new personal best of 44.50 seconds, finishing  second  behind USA’s Quincy Hall, who won the race in 44.28 seconds. Ogazi’s impressive performance marked the first time in 16 years that a Nigerian male quarter-miler qualified for the 400m semifinals at the Olympics.