Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi has set his sights on winning Olympic and World Championship gold after securing the first senior international medal of his career at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The 20-year-old lived up to his status as the world No.1 by winning the men’s 400m final in 44.25 seconds at the EDF Scotstoun Stadium.
Ogazi finished 0.57 seconds ahead of defending champion Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, while South Africa’s Zakithi Nene claimed the bronze medal.
Despite arriving in Glasgow as the favourite, Ogazi said he did not feel additional pressure. He acknowledged, however, that he carried the responsibility of meeting the expectations surrounding him.
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“I wouldn’t say I had extra pressure on me,” Ogazi said. “It was just a bit of weight on my back to carry.
“I didn’t want to come out here and disappoint. I just had to go out there and do my thing.
“I was confident. I came here prepared. I’ve trained for this and for conditions like this.”
Ogazi did not make the quickest start in the final, but remained composed before taking control of the race and leaving his rivals trailing.
“The first 100 was a little bit sluggish, but I knew I had a lot inside me. I just stayed controlled, kept it easy and kept going,” he explained.
The Commonwealth title marks another major milestone in Ogazi’s rapid rise. He reached the men’s 400m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics as an 18-year-old and has since developed into the fourth-fastest athlete of all time over the distance.
Having secured his first senior international title, Ogazi is now targeting the biggest honours in athletics and believes he can eventually establish himself among the sport’s greatest competitors.
“Maybe an Olympic gold, a world championship gold, become the greatest athlete ever. That’s what I’m working towards,” he said.
Blaine Wiley, Ogazi’s former coach at the University of Alabama, watched the Nigerian deliver his title-winning performance in Glasgow and praised his continued development.
“Samuel is a remarkable athlete,” Wiley said.
“He made the Olympic final as an 18-year-old and has grown as an athlete and matured every year from a boy into a man.
“For him to do what he is doing is amazing. He is very special and I am very fortunate to coach him and watch him.
“There are a lot of great athletes out there but I believe the sky is the limit for Samuel.”
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