Samuel Ogazi

Samuel Ogazi
Ogazi in 2024
Personal information
NationalityNigerian
Born (2006-05-14) 14 May 2006
Sport
SportAthletics
Event
Sprint
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100 metres: 10.90 (Abuja, 2022)
200 metres: 20.71 (Tuscaloosa, 2024)
400 metres: 44.41 (Paris, 2024)
Indoor
400 metres: 44.57 (Fayetteville, 2026)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Nigeria
African Championships
2024 Douala 400 m
Commonwealth Youth Games
2023 Port of Spain 200 m
2023 Port of Spain 400 m
2023 Port of Spain Mixed 4x100 m relay
African U18 Championships
2023 Ndola 200m
2023 Ndola 400m

Samuel Ogazi Listenⓘ (born 14 May 2006) is a Nigerian sprinter. In 2026, he moved to fourth on the world all-time list for the 400 metres indoors, setting an African record, in winning the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships in the United States. He was a bronze medalist at the 2024 African Championships and competed for Nigeria at the 2024 Olympic Games. He also won the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships.[1]

Early life

Ogazi was based as a teenager in Kaduna.[2] In 2023, he accepted a scholarship to study at the University of Alabama.[3]

Career

He competed in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.[4]

He won the 200m and 400m at the 2023 African U18 and U20 Championships in Athletics in Ndola, Zambia.[5] He won gold over 200 metres and 400 metres at the Athletics at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. He also won gold in the mixed 4 × 100 m relay as his Nigerian team set a new games record.[6]

In March 2024, he set a new Nigerian under-18 record for the 400 metres, running 45.35s to finish second overall behind Christopher Morales Williams in Louisiana.[7] The following month he lowered his personal best to 45.29 seconds in Florida.[8]

He competed for Nigeria at the 2024 World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas.[9] With a time of 3:12.87, the Nigerian Mixed 4x400m team of Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Chidi Okezie and Esther Joseph set a new Nigerian national record and African Continental record at the event on 5 May 2024.[10] Later that month he lowered his personal best to 44.53 seconds in Lexington, Kentucky.[11] He was runner-up at the 2024 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, running 44.52 seconds.[12]

In June 2024, he won bronze in the 400 metres at the African Championships in Douala, Cameroon.[13] He competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics over 400 metres in August 2024, where he ran a personal best on his way to the final, where he placed seventh overall.[14][15] He also competed in the mixed 4 × 400 m relay at the Games.[16]

He won the 400 metres title at the 2025 SEC Championships in Lexington, Kentucky in May 2025.[17] In June 2025, he also won the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships 400 metres title in Eugene, Oregon.[18][19]

He was selected for the Nigerian team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. He ran in the heats of the men's 400 metres without advancing to the semi-finals, later revealing that he ran with a leg injury.[20][21][22]

In February 2026, Ogazi competed at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic, in Albuquerque, and ran an indoor personal best of 44.85 seconds for the 400 metres.[23] That month, he ran a facility record time of 44.72 seconds to win the 400 metres at the SEC Indoor Championships.[24] On 14 March, he set an African indoor record as he won the 400 metres at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, running 44.57 seconds to move to fourth on the world all-time indoors list.[25][26]

References

  1. ^ "Samuel Ogazi". World Athletics. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Samuel Ogazi is star athlete as AFN golden league ends in Abuja". Guardian.ng. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  3. ^ Fameso, Funmilayo (1 December 2023). "Samuel Ogazi: Nigeria's most talented 200m/400m sprinter gains US college scholarship at the University of Alabama". Pulse Sports.
  4. ^ "Men's 4x400m Results: World Athletics Junior U20 Championships 2022". Watch Athletics. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Top 12 Nigerian Male Athletes in 2023 – Part 1". Making of Champs. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  6. ^ Eludini, Tunde (11 August 2023). "Commonwealth Youth Games: Team Nigeria sets new record, wins three gold medals on final day". Premium Times. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Samuel Ogazi joins idol Chidi Okezie in illustrious 400m mark, breaks Nigerian 26-year-old youth record". Pulse Sports. 1 April 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Ogazi & Onojuvwevwo blast to PBs at Tom Jones Memorial Classic!". Making of Champs. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Ofili, Okere made our jons easy in Bahamas says AFN". Guarianng. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Two Nigerian teams qualify for Olympic Games Relays". Premium Times. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  11. ^ "NCAA East". World Athletics. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  12. ^ Rodriguez, Kyle (7 June 2024). "Here Are The NCAA Track And Field Championships Results On Day 3". Flotrack. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Brume sails to fourth title as Bass Bittaye and Moraa win at African Championships in Douala". World Athletics. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Men's 400m Hurdles Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  15. ^ "AFN lists 35 track-and-field athletes for Olympics". punchng.com. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Mixed 4 x 400 Metres Relay - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. 3 August 2024. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  17. ^ Woods, David (18 May 2025). "JAMEESIA FORD, JORDAN ANTHONY RUN BLAZING DOUBLES; GEORGIA WOMEN, ARKANSAS MEN WIN SEC TITLES". Runnerspace. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  18. ^ Nelson, Matt (13 June 2025). "Tapiwanashe Makarawu speeds to shocking victory at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships". Olympics.com. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  19. ^ "Nathaniel, Makarawu and Mullings shine at NCAA Championships". World Athletics. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  20. ^ "World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025". World Athletics. 13 Sep 2025. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
  21. ^ Adebayo, Olusola (31 August 2025). "Amusan, Brumen, In as AFN Unveils 15-Man Squad for World Athletics Championships, Ofili Missing". Sports247. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  22. ^ "Why I ran 400m despite injury – Ogazi". Punchng.com. 15 September 2025. Retrieved 23 Sep 2025.
  23. ^ "Ogazi wins SEC Runner of the Week News". Daily Sport. 13 Feb 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  24. ^ "ARKANSAS MEN, FLORIDA WOMEN HOIST TROPHIES AT SEC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS". Runnerspace. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  25. ^ Gault, Jonathan (March 15, 2026). "NCAA Indoor men: Colin Sahlman wins controversial 3000 via DQ, as sprint records fall". Lets Run. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  26. ^ "Kaalund and Tharp threaten world records at NCAA Indoor Championships". World Athletics. 14 March 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
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