BREAKING: Watch How Ezekiel Nathaniel Smashes Nigerian 400m Hurdles Record At Tokyo World Championships
Ezekiel Nathaniel has once again carved his name into Nigeria’s track and field history after clocking an electrifying 47.11 seconds in the men’s 400m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 22-year-old looked set for a fairytale finish when American star Rai Benjamin was briefly disqualified for a lane violation, a decision that momentarily elevated Nathaniel into bronze position. But after an appeal, Benjamin was reinstated and not only kept his place but claimed the gold medal.
Brazil’s Alison dos Santos finished second in 46.84 seconds, while Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba grabbed bronze with 47.06 seconds, leaving Nathaniel narrowly outside the medal spots in fourth.
Still, his performance was remarkable. His 47.11-second run is now officially the fastest time ever recorded by a Nigerian in the event, breaking the 47.31 mark he set earlier this year at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Poland.
Nathaniel’s journey to this point has been remarkable. Born in 2003 and representing Baylor University in Texas, he stunned Nigerian athletics as a teenager when he broke Henry Amike’s 1987 record with a 48.42-second run at the Big 12 Conference in 2022. That race announced him as a new force in the field.
Since then, his rise has been steady and spectacular. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, this June, he claimed the title in 47.49 seconds, the third fastest time ever run in the history of the collegiate competition. Just days earlier, he became the first athlete in NCAA history to dip under 48 seconds in a semifinal, crossing the line in 47.86 seconds.
