Faith and Speed: Nigeria’s Christian Stars Shine 2025
As the curtain falls on the 2025 athletics season with the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Nigeria’s top athletes delivered memorable performances on the global stage. From record-breaking feats to inspirational breakthroughs, the season showcased the country’s most promising talents. Here’s a look at Nigeria’s standout performers this year.
Ezekiel Nathaniel (400m Hurdles)
Ezekiel Nathaniel firmly established himself as a global contender in 2025, enjoying what can best be described as a breakthrough season. The 400m hurdler rewrote the history books by breaking the African indoor record twice and setting multiple new Nigerian records.
At the World Championships in Tokyo, Nathaniel ran a blistering 47.11 seconds in the final, breaking his own national record once again and finishing fourth in a stacked field. His performance made him the first Nigerian man in 38 years to make the 400m hurdles final at the World Championships.
Earlier in the year, he also claimed a bronze medal at the Diamond League Final, capping off a season that saw him win the NCAA title and establish himself among the world’s elite hurdlers.
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Tobi Amusan (100m Hurdles)
World record holder Tobi Amusan had something to prove in 2025, and she delivered. The 28-year-old claimed Nigeria’s only medal at the World Championships, winning silver in the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 12.29 seconds.
She was narrowly beaten by Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, who ran a national record of 12.24 seconds to take the gold. Amusan’s performance in Tokyo marked her second World Championships medal, placing her alongside Nigerian greats Blessing Okagbare and Ese Brume.
Earlier in the season, Amusan was in strong form on the Diamond League circuit, setting a meet record of 12.45 seconds in Rabat and running a season’s best of 12.24 seconds in Paris.
Konyinsola Ajayi (100m)
Konyinsola Ajayi’s long-awaited World Championships debut lived up to the hype. The 21-year-old sprinter became the first Nigerian in 18 years to reach the men’s 100m final at the World Championships, finishing sixth with a time of 10.00 seconds.
Ajayi impressed throughout the competition running a personal best of 9.88 seconds in the heats, making him the third-fastest Nigerian ever, behind Olusoji Fasuba (9.85s) and Divine Oduduru (9.86s). He followed that up with a 9.93-second run in the semi-finals, marking the sixth sub-10 second performance of his career so far.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (Shot Put)
Veteran shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi remained a consistent performer for Nigeria in 2025. Competing in his third straight global final, the 32-year-old finished fifth in Tokyo with a best throw of 21.52 metres.
Earlier in the season, Enekwechi made history at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, breaking his own African record with a massive throw of 22.10 metres becoming the first African ever to surpass the 22-metre mark in men’s shot put.
He now holds seven of the top ten African all-time records in the event, cementing his place as one of the continent’s all-time greats.
Israel Okon (100m)
At just 18 years old, Israel Okon was Nigeria’s youngest athlete at the World Championships, and he didn’t disappoint. The national champion made it to the semi-finals of the men’s 100m after running 10.04 seconds to win his heat, ahead of Olympic champion Lamont Jacobs and Britain’s Zharnel Hughes.
Although he missed out on a place in the final finishing sixth in his semi-final with a time of 10.14 seconds Okon showed immense promise. The Auburn University freshman will now focus on breaking the 10-second barrier in the coming seasons.
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Beyond the top stars, several other Nigerian athletes made notable strides in 2025. Temitope Adeshina won the NCAA indoor high jump title, while Tima Godbless became one of the few Nigerian women to break the 11-second barrier in the 100m.
Other rising talents such as Olaolu Olatunde, Charles Godfred, and several athletes competing in the U.S. collegiate system also impressed, suggesting a strong pipeline of talent for the future.
A total of 15 Nigerian athletes competed in Tokyo, many making their global debuts a sign that the future of Nigerian athletics is looking bright.
With athletes like Nathaniel, Amusan, and Ajayi leading the charge and a new generation coming through Nigeria’s track and field scene is on an upward trajectory. The 2025 season set a strong foundation. Now, the focus shifts to 2026 and beyond, with major competitions including the next Olympic Games already on the horizon.
Content Credit: Ohidah Oluwaferanmi
Image Credit: Pulsesports.com
