NCAA Championships: Ogazi shatters records, Ajayi strikes gold as Nigerians shine in Eugene
The duo of Kayinsola Ajayi and Samuel Ogazi made history at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where both won national titles and set new records in one of the most impressive performances by Nigerians in recent years.
The duo of Kayinsola Ajayi and Samuel Ogazi made history at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where both won national titles and set new records in one of the most impressive performances by Nigerians in recent years.
While Ajayi stormed to victory in the men’s 100 metres, Ogazi successfully defended his NCAA 400m title in spectacular fashion, producing one of the fastest quarter-mile performances in world history.
The pair headlined a remarkable Nigerian showing that also saw Israel Okon win silver in the men’s 200m and Vincent Ugwoke claim bronze in the discus throw.
The standout performance of the championships came from Ogazi, who produced a sensational run of 43.38 seconds to win the men’s 400m title.
The University of Alabama star shattered his previous personal best, set a new Nigerian record, broke the NCAA record and moved to fourth on the all-time world list.
His time also stands as the fastest in the world this year.
Ogazi’s performance eclipsed the previous Nigerian record and further cemented his reputation as one of the brightest talents in global athletics.
The 20-year-old became the fastest man in NCAA history over the distance while successfully defending the title he won last year.
His latest feat continues a remarkable progression that has seen him repeatedly lower the national record since his breakthrough performance at the Paris Olympics.
In the men’s 100m final, Ajayi underlined his status as Nigeria’s fastest man ever with a dominant victory in 9.72 seconds.
Although the time was aided by a wind reading of 2.2 metres per second, slightly above the legal limit, the performance further demonstrated the exceptional form that has transformed the Auburn University athlete into one of the world’s most exciting sprinters.
Ajayi had already entered the record books earlier this season when he clocked a legal 9.84 seconds to break Olusoji Fasuba’s long-standing Nigerian record of 9.85 seconds.
His victory in Eugene made him only the second Nigerian man to win the NCAA 100m title after Divine Oduduru achieved the feat in 2019.
The triumph represents another milestone in what has been a breakthrough season for the Nigerian sprinter.
Elsewhere, Nigeria’s Israel Okon showed remarkable determination to secure a silver medal in the men’s 200m despite struggling with injury.
Okon had appeared to suffer cramp during the 100m competition earlier in the championships and was clearly below full fitness for the 200m final.
The sprinter pulled up during the race but still managed to cross the finish line in second place with a time of 19.99 seconds, earning a well-deserved podium finish.
While the race did not unfold as planned, the silver medal capped an impressive NCAA campaign for one of Nigeria’s most promising young sprinters.
In the field events, Vincent Ugwoke produced a personal best throw of 63.89 metres to secure bronze in the men’s discus.
The Nigerian unleashed the decisive effort in the fourth round to claim his first-ever NCAA Championships podium finish.
The performances of Ajayi, Ogazi, Okon and Ugwoke provide another major boost for Nigerian athletics ahead of the national trials and preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
With established stars such as world record holder Tobi Amusan leading the way and a new generation producing world-class performances on the collegiate circuit, Nigerian athletics appears well-positioned for a successful international campaign in the months ahead.
