Former Olympian Henry Amike backs 400m hurdler Ezekiel Nathaniel to run under 48-seconds

Ezekiel Nathaniel. Photo: Baylor

Former Nigeria track and field international, Olympian Henry Amike, believes Ezekiel Nathaniel has proved he has the talent to make history as the first Nigerian man to run inside 48 seconds in the 400m hurdles.

Nathaniel on Friday evening ran a new 48.29 lifetime best at the 2024 Tom Jones Memorial Invitational on the Percy Beard Track at the James G. Pressly Stadium in Florida to break the 48.42s Nigerian record he set almost two years ago at the Big 12 Championships in Lubbock, Texas.

With that achievement, Nathaniel has moved to number 13 on the African all-time list and could become the first Nigerian to break 48 seconds in the event.

Ezekiel Nathaniel. Photo: Baylor

Amike, a World Championships’ finalist in the event is impressed with the incredible rise of the 20-year-old who around this time in 2021 was just a 53.2s runner.

“I have been monitoring Ezekiel’s performance and I am quite impressed with the hard work he has put in to become the Nigerian record holder in the event. I know he must have put in a lot of hard work because the 400m hurdles race is very demanding. It is not enough to have the talent,” said Amike who held the event’s Nigerian record (48.50s) for 35 years.

And Amike is confident Nathaniel will become the first Nigerian man to break 48 seconds in the event if he continues to work very hard.

“I am happy he is finally going to the Olympics and I believe, with more hard work, he can make that history in Paris,” added Amike who ran twice in the Olympics 400m hurdles final at the 1984 and 1988 Games.

Amike would however not be drawn on Nathaniel’s chances of becoming the first Nigerian man to make the podium in the event at the Olympics.

He said: “The standard is very high in