Nigerian athletics, Ezekiel Nathaniel has pushed his way into the final of the men’s 400 metres hurdles at the ongoing World Athletics Championships (WAC) in Tokyo — ending a 38-year wait since a Nigerian last reached this stage.
The 22-year-old NCAA champion clocked an astonishing 47.47 seconds in the semifinals on Wednesday, dominating the second of three heats to secure a place in Friday’s highly anticipated final.
This remarkable achievement makes Nathaniel the first Nigerian man to reach the 400m hurdles final since Henry Amike did so at the 1985 edition of the championships held in Rome, Italy.
READ ALSO: Amusan Shines Again, Clinches Silver Medal at Tokyo Championship
Nathaniel led the race from start to finish, showing poise, power, and precision as he crossed the line ahead of Qatar’s Ismail Doudai Abakar, who finished in a personal best of 47.61 seconds.
American Caleb Dean followed in third with 47.85 seconds, while the rest of the field included Jamaica’s Malik James-King, Brazil’s Matheus Lima, Kenya’s Wiseman Were Mukhobe, Sweden’s Oskar Edlund, and Spain’s Jesús David Delgado.
The Nigerian hurdler had already made headlines during the heats, clocking 48.37 seconds to finish ahead of top contenders like Dean and Brazil’s Francisco Dos Reis Viana.
READ ALSO: Tinubu Rewards D’Tigress with $100,000 Each, ‘OON’ for Afrobasket Win
Now, with the final set for Friday, September 19, Nathaniel is not only eyeing a place on the podium — he stands a chance of becoming the first Nigerian and only the fifth African to win a medal in the men’s 400m hurdles at the World Championships.
