Lagos-based athletics referee and technical guru, Akin Afolarin has hailed the new African men’s 400m indoor record enacted by Alabama University of USA undergraduate, Samuel Ogazi.
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Afolarin, who is also a secondary school teacher and renowned announcer, stated in a chat with Sports247 that Ogazi showed in his recent races that he had what it takes to be a record breaker.
He added that Ogazi’s new 44.57secs African record, which the rising star achieved on Saturday at USA’s National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Indoor Championship finals in Fayetteville, was further confirmation of his vast improvement in recent months.
Sports247 reports further that Ogazi, who was a finalist at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, led through the first lap of Saturday’s 400m race in 20.92 ahead of Justin Braun, who gave a very bold challenge but could only end up second with 44.67.
It also meant that the 19-year-old Ogazi, who grew up in Kaduna, equalled the ratified world short track record, though Khaleb McRae’s equal mark set at the same venue last month is pending ratification.
He was a bronze medalist at the 2024 African Championships and won the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships, before which he previously competed in the 4x400m relay at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.
Ogazi also won the 200m and 400m at the 2023 African U18 and U20 Championships in Ndola, Zambia; then won gold over 200 metres and 400 metres at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
He also won gold in the mixed 4×100 m relay to set a new games record, then set a new Nigerian U18 record for the 400 metres in March 2024, running 45.35s to finish second overall behind Christopher Morales Williams in Louisiana.
Just last month, at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic in Albuquerque, Ogazi ran an indoor personal best of 44.85 seconds for the 400 metres and a facility record time of 44.72 seconds to win the 400 metres at the SEC Indoor Championships.
In reaction to Ogazi’s latest feat, Mr Afolarin said he was not surprised, considering that the youngster had already achieved a new personal best at the start of this year, and wished him more to come.
“It was great, but I’m not surprised; having seen him run 44.72 earlier in the year. I only hope that he is consistent when the outdoor season begins and especially into the Commwealth Games later in the year,” Afolarin submitted.
