Nigeria’s 19-year-old quarter-miler Samuel Ogazi has attributed his early elimination from the men’s 400m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships to an injury and instructions from national team officials to compete despite not being fully fit.
The University of Alabama athlete finished fifth in heat three on Sunday, clocking 45.97 seconds, well off his personal best of 44.41 seconds.
The heat was won by American Jacory Patterson in 43.90 seconds, while Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald (44.38s) and Italy’s Edoardo Scotti (44.45s) secured the automatic qualifying positions. Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi claimed the final fastest-loser spot in 44.48 seconds. Ogazi placed 41st overall out of 48 competitors, with fellow Nigerian Chidi Okezie also failing to advance after finishing seventh in his heat in 45.66 seconds.
Speaking after the race, Ogazi explained that he had informed team officials of his unfit condition but was instructed to participate.
“First of all, I told team Nigeria officials I wasn’t prepared for this race because my hamstring was bothering me, but they still insisted that I should go run, so I did what I could, and that’s the outcome,” he said.
Ogazi, the 2025 NCAA champion, said he had felt prepared earlier in the week but experienced a setback during a light training session upon arriving in Tokyo.
“On Monday back home, I had a very good practice. I felt ready. I flew here on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, I went for a shakeout, and I felt some tweak in my hamstring. Everybody who knows me knows I don’t run with injuries,” he added.
He further revealed that he was willing to withdraw but was not permitted to do so.
“During the warm-up, I spoke with the doctor. I told him, ‘I’m not ready.’ I know I’m not feeling healthy and strong yet. Right now, I’m not healthy and strong,” Ogazi said. He also cited a recent COVID-19 diagnosis as a factor in his compromised condition. “Maybe coupled with the fact that I was diagnosed with COVID two weeks ago, I don’t know. But yeah, I wasn’t in good shape,” he said.
Despite the disappointment in Tokyo, Ogazi reflected positively on his breakthrough season, noting his NCAA title earlier in the year and a season’s best of 44.43 seconds, which placed him 15th in the global rankings.
“I would say my season was impressive and superb because my main goal was to win the NCAA and I got that done. After that, I was just going with the flow,” he said.
Ogazi, a former African Championships bronze medallist and Paris Olympics finalist, had been considered one of Nigeria’s brightest hopes in the men’s 400m. His slow reaction time of 0.310 seconds, the slowest in his heat, contributed to his inability to challenge the world’s best.
The 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships is taking place at the Japan National Stadium from September 13 to September 21, 2025, featuring over 2,000 athletes from nearly 200 countries competing across 49 events.
