Nigeria’s fast-rising quarter-miler, Samuel Ogazi, at the weekend, smashed his way to a joint world-leading time and new national record at the SEC Track and Field Championships in Auburn, Alabama, U.S.
 
Ogazi turned up with a magical 43.95 seconds run to become the first Nigerian ever to run that fast in the men’s 400m. U.S. runner Jonathan Simms is the other athlete to have posted 43.02 this season.
 
Two weeks ago, Ogazi laid to rest Innocent Egbunike’s 44.17 national record, which stood for 39 years, with a 44.02secs run. And on Saturday, the Kaduna-born Ogazi demonstrated that he is ready to take on the world with 43.95 seconds.
 
Ogazi, 20, a student of the University of Alabama, started with 44.57 seconds in March and has progressively improved into the exclusive club of sub-44-second runners.
 
Barring unforeseen circumstances, he would have the chance to contest at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in July against some of the top runners like Christopher Morales William of Canada 44.30secs, Pilay Lythe of South Africa 44.32 secs, and Lestile Tebogo of Botswana 44.37 secs, season’s bests.