Nathaniel Ezekiel delivered another jaw-dropping performance at the Big 12 Championships in Kansas, smashing the Nigerian 400m hurdles national record for the second time in two days, as he stormed to victory in the final with a blazing time of 47.89s.
The 21-year-old had already made history in the heats on Thursday, becoming the first Nigerian ever to break the 48-second barrier with a 47.91s finish — a race that shattered his previous national record of 48.00s. But on Saturday, Ezekiel went even faster, lowering the mark once again and confirming his status as one of the hottest 400m hurdlers in the world right now.
His 47.89s final performance not only secured the Big 12 title, but also reset the Big 12 meet record, the Baylor University record, and solidified his lead on the 2025 NCAA performance list. He is now third fastest in the world this year, trailing only Karsten Warholm and Alison dos Santos, and sits seventh on the all-time NCAA list.
Ezekiel won the final with authority, finishing over a second ahead of Oskar Edlund (49.00s). In doing so, he completed a sensational double at the Big 12 Championships — two sub-48s, two national records, and a growing legacy.
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Since first breaking Henry Amike’s long-standing Nigerian record of 48.50s in 2022, Nathaniel has now lowered the national record six times in three years. His latest exploits also make him the 8th fastest African of all time, and the fastest African in the event since 2015.
He was also part of the Baylor 4×400 relay team that placed sixth overall after winning their heat at 3:06.19. Nathaniel Ezekiel ran the final leg in a time of 44.12s.
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