Drama at World Athletics: Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel Upgraded to Bronze, Then Pushed Back to 4th
- Ezekiel Nathaniel clocked a national record time of 47.11s, the fastest ever by a Nigerian in 400m hurdles
- Nathaniel missed out on the podium after finishing 4th, narrowly behind bronze medalist Abderrahman Samba of Qatar
- Nathaniel was briefly upgraded to bronze before USA's Rai Benjamin’s reinstatement pushed him back to fourth
Ezekiel Nathaniel delivered a remarkable performance on the world stage, breaking Nigeria’s national record in the men’s 400m hurdles final with a time of 47.11 seconds.
Despite the record-breaking run, the 22-year-old narrowly missed out on a podium finish, placing fourth behind Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba, who clocked 47.06 seconds for bronze.
Source: Getty Images
The final was dominated by Rai Benjamin of the USA, who stormed to victory in 46.54 seconds to claim the world title.
According to Making of Champions, Brazil’s Alison dos Santos came second in 46.84 seconds, setting up a podium packed with some of the biggest names in the event.
Nathaniel’s performance is significant not just for the time he ran, but for the fact that he became the first Nigerian since 1987 to make it to the World Championships 400m hurdles final, a huge boost for Nigerian athletics.
Drama in 400m hurdles final
Nathaniel’s rollercoaster journey at the World Championships ended in heartbreak after he was stripped of his historic bronze medal following an appeal.
Nathaniel had initially been upgraded to third place after race winner Rai Benjamin was disqualified for displacing a hurdle and impeding another athlete.
Source: Getty Images
However, in a dramatic late-night ruling, World Athletics reinstated Benjamin, returning him to gold and pushing Nathaniel back down to fourth place.
The final standings were reverted to their original order, leaving Nigeria without a men’s 400m hurdles medal.
From celebration to disappointment
Just minutes after the 400m final, Nathaniel’s bronze had sent shockwaves of joy across Nigeria.
His 47.11-second run had been confirmed as a new national record and was celebrated as Nigeria’s first medal in the men’s 400m hurdles at the World Championships.
However, that joy proved short-lived after Team USA’s successful appeal and the podium was reshuffled.
Brazil’s Alison dos Santos dropped back to silver, Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba reclaimed bronze, and Nathaniel found himself just outside the medals once again.
Nigerians congratulate Nathaniel despite loss
Meanwhile, Nigerians took to social media to shower praise on Nathaniel despite failing to win a medal.
Obaro posted on X:
“Oh wow, Ezekiel Nathaniel broken a National record with 47.11 but he came 4th. No podium medal but congratulations champ.
Another fan, Polan tweeted:
“Ezekiel Nathaniel came fourth. Well done champ! More is definitely coming.”
Nigeria’s hurdles revival continues
Nathaniel’s performance adds to what has been an impressive resurgence for Nigeria in the hurdles events.
Amusan’s silver medal earlier in the championships, earned with a 12.29-second run, gave Nigeria its first medal in Tokyo.
Her achievement was recognised with a $35,000 reward from World Athletics and a $20,000 bonus from the team’s kit sponsors.
With Nathaniel breaking a long-standing national record and Amusan firmly cementing her place among the world’s elite hurdlers, Nigeria’s athletics program is showing signs of a promising new era.
Nathaniel makes history in Tokyo
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ezekiel Nathaniel stormed into the final of the men's 400 metres hurdles at the ongoing Tokyo 2025 and is on course to win Nigeria's second medal after Tobi Amusan.
Nathaniel has failed to make the final of the event in the past two tournaments, but his determination has propelled him to reach the final this year.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
