Nigerian athlete Samuel Ogazi marked a significant milestone in his career after clinching the GOLD medal in the men’s 400m at the 2025 NCAA Track and Field National Championships, holding at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, US.
Ogazi was the only runner to clock a sub-45s in the final as Gabriel Moronta was 2nd in 45.47s and William Jones in 45.53s.
It was a historic moment for Ogazi as he became the first Nigerian athlete in 26 years to claim an NCAA 400m title after Clement Chukwu achieved the same feat in 1999.
Ogazi’s journey to this victory wasn’t without challenges. He began the year battling an injury from his first-ever 300m indoor race for Alabama. However, through sheer determination, he gradually regained his form, opting to skip the indoor season entirely.
His perseverance paid off as he went on to secure the SEC outdoor title. He made a statement by running a blistering 44.43s to easily qualify for the NCAA Championships at the East Prelims in Florida, just shy of his Personal Best (PB) of 44.41s, set when he made the Olympic final.
In the semifinals of the NCAA Championships in Oregon, Ogazi proved his dominance once again. With a time of 44.77s, the fastest across all heats, he left his competitors far behind. DeSean Boyce followed in 45.15s as Auhmad Robinson came in 3rd with a time of 45.35s.
This victory added to his impressive resume, which already included a spot in the men’s 400m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
