Ezekiel Nathaniel etched his name into Nigerian athletics history at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships after shattering the national record in the men’s 400m hurdles final with an impressive 47.11 seconds to finish fourth.
The 21-year-old briefly celebrated as a World Championship bronze medalist when American Rai Benjamin, the initial winner, was disqualified for a lane infringement. However, following an appeal, Benjamin’s result was reinstated, restoring him to gold medal position and pushing Nathaniel back to fourth place.
Despite missing the podium, Nathaniel’s 47.11 seconds was just 0.05 seconds shy of Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba, who claimed bronze in 47.06 seconds. Benjamin’s winning time stood at 46.54 seconds, while Brazil’s Alison dos Santos secured silver with 46.84 seconds.
Nathaniel’s record-breaking feat cements his status among the world’s elite hurdlers and sets a new benchmark for Nigerian athletics. His performance signals a bright future and renewed hope for Nigeria’s pursuit of global podium finishes.