Ezekiel Nathaniel has written his name into Nigerian athletics history by reaching the final of the men’s 400m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships, ending a 38-year drought for the country in the event.
On Wednesday, the 21-year-old stormed to victory in Heat 2 of the semi-finals, clocking 47.47 seconds — the fastest qualifying time. Qatar’s Ismail Abakar followed with a personal best of 47.61s, while USA’s Caleb Dean finished third in 47.85s.
The last Nigerian to contest the final of the event was Henry Amike in 1987 at the Rome World Championships, where he placed sixth in 48.63s.
Despite starting from a difficult Lane 8, Nathaniel — Nigeria’s national record holder — displayed grit and composure to power through and secure his spot in Friday’s final. He will compete from Lane 6 against some of the world’s finest hurdlers, including Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, Norway’s Karsten Warholm, and the USA’s Rai Benjamin.
Nathaniel, who continues to break barriers for Nigerian athletics, is now seen as a strong contender for a podium finish.
