Nigerian sprinter Ezekiel Nathaniel has once again rewritten history, shattering the African 400m indoor record for the second time in two weeks.
The 21-year-old clocked 44.74 seconds at the 2025 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championship in Lubbock, Texas, USA, over the weekend, breaking his own record of 44.92s set earlier in February.
Nathaniel, who competed in a timed final against Arizona State’s Jayden Davis, took control of the race early, leading at the break with a swift 21.09s first lap.
He showed no signs of fatigue as he stormed to victory, with Davis finishing second in 44.95s.
This remarkable feat places Nathaniel among the world’s fastest over the distance:
Eighth-fastest man in history (400m indoor)
Sixth in NCAA history
New Big 12 Championship record holder
Relay Victory and Team Performance
Nathaniel later anchored Baylor University’s 4x400m relay team to its 17th Big 12 title, finishing in 3:04.78.
His performances helped Baylor secure third place in the team rankings with 84 points, behind Oklahoma State (87 points) and Texas Tech (124 points).
Upcoming Championships
Nathaniel is set to return to action in two weeks at the 2025 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships (March 14-15) in Virginia Beach, USA.
He is also expected to represent Nigeria at the 2025 World Indoor Championships (March 21-23) in Nanjing, China.
Rapid Rise to Stardom
A product of Buka Tigers Athletics Club in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Nathaniel gained attention after finishing fourth at the 2021 World U-20 Championships in Nairobi.
His talent earned him a scholarship to Baylor University, where he made an immediate impact.
In 2022, he shattered a 34-year-old Nigerian national record in the 400m hurdles, clocking 48.42s to win the Big 12 title.
He later improved it to 48.00s in 2024. Nathaniel has also reached the semifinals of the 400m hurdles at the World Championships (2022, 2023) and the 400m semifinals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
