National record holder in the men’s 400m hurdles and Paris 2024 Olympics semifinalist, Ezekiel Nathaniel, ran the fastest 400m in the world this year on Friday when he produced a stunning 44.92s to win his 400m heat at the Jarvis Scott Invite at the Sports Performance Center, Lubbock, TX (USA).
In just his second race of the season, he also became the first African man to run sub-45s (indoors) in history as well as in the NCAA in 2025.
“We’re living in Nate’s world. No. 1 time in the World. The first person in the NCAA to finish under 45 seconds in 2025,” Baylor Track and Field posted via X on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the 21-year-old also ran a jaw-dropping anchor for Baylor University in the men’s 400m, producing 44.37s as they finished in second place behind Texas Tech by just milliseconds.
At the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, Paris Olympics semifinalist in the men’s 100m, Kanyinosla Ajayi also produced a school record, the second fastest indoor time and a personal best of 6.51s to win his 60m race at the meet.
He equalled Auburn’s school record set by Favour Ashe in 2023 and ties him on the Nigerian all-time list for fourth, alongside Davidson Ezinwa.
The only Nigerian men to have ever gone faster are Deji Aliu (6.48s), Olusoji Fasuba (6.49s), and Tosin Ogunode (6.50s).
Elsewhere, two Nigerian quarter-milers, Chioma Nwachukwu and Olympian Ella Onojuvwevwo stole the show in women’s 400m at the Tyson Invitational, crossing in first and second positions, in new personal best times of 52.25s and 52.44s respectively.
Nwachukwu stunned LSU’s Onojuvwevwo for the win and her time moved her to ninth on the Nigerian all-time list. She was the third fastest overall across 15 heats.
Onojuvwevwo also clocked a new personal best of 23.11s to finish second overall across 16 heats of the women’s 200m at the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas.
At the same meet, Tima Godbless also ran the 200m, finishing second in her section with a time of 23.45s.
Alaba Akintola also competed today at the Music City Challenge in Tennessee, clocking a season’s Best of 6.60s for a second-place finish in the men’s 60m final just as Prosper Ekporere also clocked a new PB of 7.68s to win the men’s 60mH at the Don Kirby Elite meet in New Mexico.
He became the second fastest Nigerian of all time in the event, only behind Selim Nurudeen (7.64s), and also took down the Grand Canyon University school record in the process.
