Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel qualified for the men’s 400m hurdles final with the fastest time, ending the country’s 38-year wait at the World Championships.
Ezekiel Nathaniel has secured Nigeria’s first place in the men’s 400m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in nearly four decades, after winning his semi-final heat on Wednesday in Tokyo.
The 21-year-old clocked 47.47 seconds in Heat 2, the fastest qualifying time of the round, to advance to Friday’s final. Qatar’s Ismail Abakar followed with a personal best of 47.61s, while the USA’s Caleb Dean finished third in 47.85s.
Nathaniel’s feat ended Nigeria’s 38-year wait for a finalist in the event, last achieved by Henry Amike in 1987 in Rome, where he placed sixth with a time of 48.63s.
Running from the difficult Lane 8, Nathaniel displayed remarkable resilience to edge the competition. “He was resilient and held his own to win the race,” officials noted after the performance. The Nigerian champion, already the national record holder, now carries hopes of a podium finish against formidable opponents including Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos, Norway’s Karsten Warholm, and the USA’s Rai Benjamin.
Nathaniel is drawn in Lane 6 for the final, scheduled for Friday evening. His qualification not only marks a personal milestone but also revives Nigeria’s long-standing ambition in one of athletics’ most grueling events.
THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON VANGUARD