With the Paris 2024 Olympics set to begin next month, Chidi Okezie has vowed to “get back to the drawing board” following a disappointing performance at the recent African Championships.
Despite having previously secured Olympic qualification with a personal record in the men’s 400m, Okezie faced unexpected challenges, failing to reach the CAA African Senior Championships final, finishing ninth overall in the semi-final heats running 45.96s.
He also only finished sixth in the final of the national trials at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City last week.
Okezie took to his Facebook page to reflect on his recent setbacks.
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He said, “After running a PR and qualifying for the Olympics, I was on top of the world. That quickly changed when I ran my slowest races of the year at Nigerian Championships and then failed to qualify for the African Championships final finishing 9th by .008.”
However, with the Olympics just weeks away, Okezie remains determined to improve. “Although I was down about my performances, I know what I need to fix. It’s time to get back to the drawing board,” he said.
He also added that this challenge was an opportunity for growth, noting, “Sometimes, you have to be uncomfortable. You can’t be afraid of challenges. This time, the challenge has defeated me, lol. This Africa trip taught me a lot about my body and my mental toughness.”
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