Nathaniel’s new 48.29 lifetime best thrills Amike

Nathaniel Ezekiel

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

Nathaniel 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 on Friday evening to break the 48.42 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.

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

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

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 hardwork, he can make that history in Paris,’ added Amike who ran twice in the final of the event at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

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.

“The standard is very high in the 400m hurdles. Since Kevin Young ran 46.78 to win at the