18-year-old Ogazi qualifies for men’s 400m final — first Nigerian Olympian in 36 years

Samuel Ogazi has become the first Nigerian to qualify for the final of the men’s 400 meters at the Olympics in 36 years.

The 18-year-old dipped a personal best of 44.41 seconds to finish third in heat 3 of the men’s 400 meters semi-final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Nigeria has not been represented in the event’s final at the games since Innocent Egbunike achieved the feat at Seoul 1988.

Egbunike finished fifth in the finale with 44.72 seconds.

Ogazi qualified for the final in one of the two non-automatic spots.

He had the eighth fastest time in the semi-final and will need a huge minus on his personal best to finish close to the medal zone.

Ogazi has been slotted in lane two of the final, which is scheduled to be held on Wednesday by 9:20 pm.

The teenager was based in Kaduna until he became a sprinting sensation in 2023 after a brilliant performance at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Golden League.

He won the men’s 400m of the event in 45.91 seconds.

Ogazi holds the Nigerian under-18 record for the 400 metres after running 45.35 seconds in March.

He is a student at the University of Alabama in the US.