Ezekiel Nathaniel, Nigeria’s national record holder in the men’s 400m hurdles, has set his sights on gold after qualifying for the semi-finals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“It’s a dream come true to be running at the Olympics,” Nathaniel said after his impressive run. “I went out hard as fast as I could. I felt good, and I saw everyone moving. So, I said let me stay logged in to my race pattern, and I feel so confident in myself right now.”
Nathaniel, 21, finished second in his heat with a time of 48.38s, his fourth-fastest time ever, to qualify for the semi-finals. He is the first Nigerian athlete in 12 years to make the semi-finals of the 400m hurdles at the Olympics.
“My coach will also tell me to focus on the big Q, and it feels good,” Nathaniel added. “I feel like those experiences have built a lot of courage in me and made me feel more experienced about the event. Right now, I’m not anxious or scared of anyone. Everyone is out here to compete with the mindset of winning gold, and I am also out here with the mindset of winning gold.”
Nathaniel has had a fantastic season, bettering his national record, qualifying for the Olympics, and winning bronze at the NCAA Championships. “It’s awesome, and I feel so proud of myself to have done that, and I know I still have more left in the tank.”
