Ogazi blames team officials for poor performance at World Championships

Team Nigeria’s quarter-miler Samuel Ogazi has criticised technical officials for insisting he compete in the men’s 400m heats at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, despite battling a hamstring injury. The 20-year-old, who had been in fine form this season, finished fifth in his heat in 45.97s, well outside his personal best. The race was […]

Team Nigeria’s quarter-miler Samuel Ogazi has criticised technical officials for insisting he compete in the men’s 400m heats at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, despite battling a hamstring injury.

The 20-year-old, who had been in fine form this season, finished fifth in his heat in 45.97s, well outside his personal best. The race was won by American Jacory Patterson in a scorching 43.90s, followed by Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald (44.38s) and Italy’s Edoardo Scotti (44.45s). Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi (44.48s) claimed the final fastest-loser spot, leaving Ogazi ranked 41st overall from 48 athletes.

In a video that has since gone viral, Ogazi revealed he had warned team officials about his fitness.

“I told the Team Nigeria officials that I wasn’t prepared for this race, that my hamstring was bothering me, but they still insisted that I should go run. I did what I could and that’s the outcome,” he said.

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Ogazi explained that while he trained comfortably earlier in the week, discomfort returned during Wednesday’s shake-out session.

“I told them a day before the race, ‘I’m not prepared for this. I don’t think I could do anything if I go out there.’ But they said, ‘Just go out there and give it your all. Maybe coupled with the fact that I was diagnosed with COVID two weeks ago, I don’t know. But yeah, I wasn’t in good shape.”

Despite the disappointment, Ogazi reflected positively on his season.

“I would say my season was impressive and superb because my main goal was to win the NCAA, and I got that done. After that, I was just going with the flow.”

The NCAA champion has enjoyed a breakthrough year, with highlights including gold at the 2023 African U18/U20 Championships in Zambia, a triple-gold haul at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, and a national U18 record of 45.35s set in Louisiana in March 2024.