Commonwealth Games 2026 men’s 400m hurdles gold medalist, Ezekiel Nathaniel has set his eyes on winning the same event this Sunday at the inuagural World Athleitcs Ultimate Chllenge in Budapest, Hungary.
Sports247 reports that, although Nathaniel is ranked fourth on the list of registered hurdlers for the big event, it is yet another huge opportunity for the Nigerian police officer to continue lifting his profile on the global terrain.
He will, however, have to edge aside Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, who stunned the world when he clocked 45.80 at the Wanda Diamond League in Zurich, Switzerland at the end of last month.
That performance took 0.14 off the world 400m hurdles record that had initially been set by Karsten Warholm in 2021, with the 26-year-old Brazilian making history as he hit the finish line.
Another major challenge facing Nathaniel in Sunday’s race is that it will be the first time that the earth’s men’s top three 400mH athletes in history will clash since last year’s World Championships final.
A preview by World Athletics noted in part, “Something very special could be coming at the Ultimate Championship, especially as the event will pit Dos Santos and Warholm against Rai Benjamin, Olympic and world champion, who is eyeing a 400m and 400m hurdles double.
“The event gives them the opportunity to renew their rivalry with Benjamin. The US 29-year-old switched his focus to the 400m flat for 2026, but in his sole hurdles appearance of the year, he clocked 46.67 for victory during a promotional event at the Lausanne Diamond League.
“Others looking to make an impact include Brazil’s Matheus Lima and Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba, the world bronze medallist behind Benjamin and Dos Santos in Tokyo, as well as world fourth-place finisher, Ezekiel Nathaniel of Nigeria.”
Sports247 reports further that, with Nathaniel ranked fourth on the scales, it’s left to be seen if he can conjur a breakthtaking performance that would see him create history by outpacing the world’s top three men’s 400m hurdlers of all time en roure to a podium finish on Sunday.
