Samuel Ogazi booked his place in the men’s 400m at the Paris 2024 Olympics during the SEC Outdoor Championships in Florida, USA, on Saturday evening.

The University of Alabama athlete punched his Olympic ticket with a Personal Best time of 44.58s, placing second in the 400m final behind Christopher Williams. Ogazi’s time was a school record and the second-fastest in the NCAA this season.

His time was also the third-fastest by a Nigerian, behind Innocent Egbunike’s national record of 44.17s set at the Weltklasse Zürich meet in Letzigrund, Zürich, on August 19, 1987 and Emmanuel Bamidele’s 44.24s. It was the third time a Nigerian quarter-miler had run a sub-45s time since Orukpe Erayokan in 2015.

Ogazi became the 10th Nigerian athlete to qualify for the Olympics, joining Tobi Amusan (women’s 100m hurdles), Udodi Onwuzurike (men’s 200m), Edose Ibadin (men’s 800m), Ruth Usoro (women’s long jump), Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (men’s shot put), Favour Ashe (men’s 100m), Favour Ofili (women’s 200m), Ella Onojuvwevwo (women’s 400m), and Ezekiel Nathaniel (men’s 400m hurdles) as the qualified Nigerian athletes.

Moments later, Godson Brume also qualified for the Olympics in the men’s 100m final of the same event, retaining his title in 9.99s.

Tima Godbless placed fifth in the women’s 100m final, running 11.14s, while Ella Onojuvwevwo – who had earlier qualified for the Olympics on Friday – ran another sub-51s race to place eighth in the women’s 400m final with a time of 50.86s.

Ogazi was part of the Alabama quartet that later won the silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay in a time of 2:59.06.