By Chinasaokwu Helen okoro
African Senior Athletics Championships bronze medallist Samuel Ogazi will hope to continue his incredible run at the Paris Olympic Games in the final of the men’s 400m on Wednesday, after becoming the first Nigerian to reach that stage in 36 years, online correspondent reports.
Running in the last semi-final at Stade de France on Tuesday, Ogazi produced a new personal best of 44.41s to finish third, booking his spot in the final as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers.
The last Nigerian to run in the final of the men’s 400m was Innocent Egbunike at the 1988 Games in Seoul.Ogazi re-enacted the feat by finishing behind Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who won the race in 44.07s, and USA’s Michael Norman, who was second in a time of 44.26s.
The 19-year-old and the USA’s Christopher Bailey (44.31 PB) took the two fastest non-automatic qualifying spots ahead of Botwana’s Busang Kebinatshipi.
On Sunday, Ogazi also became the first Nigerian male quarter-miler to reach the semi-finals of the event at the Olympics in 24 years.He will contend with a strong field, which includes the likes of Kirani James (Grenada), Quincy Hall of the USA, and others in the final.
To qualify for the Olympics, the University of Alabama undergraduate became the second-fastest Nigerian over the distance in 37 years and also smashed the school record with a time of 44.17s in the final of the men’s 400m at the SEC Outdoor Championships in May.
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