Nigerian sprint star Samuel Ogazi produced a historic performance at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Auburn after running a sensational 43.95 seconds to retain his men’s 400m title.
The 20-year-old became the first Nigerian athlete ever to run below the 44-second mark in the event. His time is also the fastest recorded in the world this year, making him the current world leader in the men’s 400m.
Ogazi delivered a dominant race to finish ahead of Jordan Pierre, who posted a personal best of 44.12 seconds, while Jonathan Simms came third in 44.16 seconds.
The Nigerian athlete, who already holds the NCAA indoor and outdoor 400m titles, improved on the 44.02 seconds he ran earlier this month on May 2, 2026. His latest achievement also places him among an elite group of African runners, as he becomes only the sixth man from the continent to break the 44-second barrier in the 400m event. Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi, Texas A&M also won the Javelin throw event at the Championship.
Nigeria also participated in other events at the championships.
Adisa Rhoda set a new Nigerian record in the women’s 800m after finishing seventh in the final with a time of 2:01.56. She broke the previous national record of 2:01.89 held by Fatimoh Mohammed.
Rhoda’s rise has been remarkable, considering she started the season with a personal best of 2:06.21 before making major improvements to emerge as one of Nigeria’s top middle-distance athletes.
In the sprint events, Israel Okon finished fifth in the men’s 200m with a time of 20.52 seconds, while Adekalu Fakorede placed fourth in the men’s 100m final after clocking 10.12 seconds.
