Ezekiel Nathaniel has redefined African 400m indoor racing with a groundbreaking performance at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, claiming gold in spectacular fashion.
He blazed to victory in 44.74s, smashing his own African Record and solidifying his place in history.
Racing in a timed final alongside Arizona State’s Jayden Davis—his closest competitor in the qualification round—Nathaniel took control early, hitting the break in an impressive 21.09s for the opening lap.
Maintaining his form and composure, he stormed through the finish line without signs of fatigue, obliterating his previous mark of 44.92s, which he set just two weeks prior when he became Africa’s first sub-45-second indoor runner.
His electrifying run rewrote multiple records. Nathaniel now owns Baylor’s School Record, set a new Meet Record, climbed to 8th on the all-time list, and became the second-fastest man in the world this season.
He also etched his name in history as the fastest indoor 400m runner from outside North America.
