Ezekiel Nathaniel Makes 400m Hurdles Final History

Ezekiel Nathaniel made history on Wednesday at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, becoming the first Nigerian in nearly four decades to reach the final of the men’s 400m hurdles.

Competing in the semi-finals, Nathaniel blazed through Heat 2 to win with an impressive time of 47.47 seconds, the fastest overall in the round. His performance secured him a well-deserved spot in the final, ending Nigeria’s 38-year drought in the event.

The last Nigerian to make it this far was Henry Amike, who reached the final at the 1987 World Championships in Rome, finishing sixth with a time of 48.63 seconds.

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Running from the tough Lane 8, Nathaniel showed remarkable composure and strength, fending off fierce competition to finish ahead of Qatar’s Ismail Abakar, who clocked a personal best of 47.61 seconds, and the USA’s Caleb Dean, who followed in 47.85 seconds.

Already the Nigerian national record holder in the 400m hurdles, Nathaniel’s performance further cements his place as one of the rising stars in global athletics. With this momentum, he is now seen as a serious contender for a podium finish in Friday’s final.

Set to compete from Lane 6, he will face world-class athletes including Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, Norway’s Karsten Warholm, and the USA’s Rai Benjamin all heavyweights in the event.

The stage is now set for a thrilling showdown as Nigeria rallies behind its new hurdle’s hero.

 

 

Content Credit: Ohidah Oluwaferanmi

Image Credit: Sportskeeda.com