Nigeria’s teenage sprint star Samuel Ogazi has accused national team officials of forcing him to run while injured after crashing out in the first round of the men’s 400m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sunday.
The University of Alabama quarter-miler, making his World Championships debut, finished fifth in heat three with a time of 45.97s, well outside his personal best of 44.41s.
The heat was won by American Jacory Patterson in a blistering 43.90s, with Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald (44.38s) and Italy’s Edoardo Scotti (44.45s) taking the other automatic qualifying spots.
Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi (44.48s) snatched the final fastest loser place, while Ogazi ranked 41st overall out of 48 competitors.
Speaking after the race, Ogazi revealed he had warned Nigerian officials that he was unfit to run but was still instructed to line up.
“First of all, I told team Nigeria officials I wasn’t prepared for this race because my hamstring was bothering me, but they still insisted that I should go run, so I did what I could and that’s the outcome,” he said.
The 2025 NCAA champion explained that he had felt ready earlier in the week but suffered a setback during a light training session upon arrival in Tokyo.
“On Monday back home, I had a very good practice. I felt ready. I flew here on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, I went for a shakeout and I felt some tweak in my hamstring. Everybody who knows me knows I don’t run with injuries.
“I told them a day before the race, ‘I’m not prepared for this. I don’t think I could do anything if I go out there.’ But they said, ‘Just go out there and give it your all.’”
The 19-year-old admitted that he was willing to withdraw but was not allowed to. “I was very much willing to sit out.
“During the warm-up, I spoke with the doctor. I told him, ‘I’m not ready.’ I know I’m not feeling healthy and strong yet. Right now I’m not healthy and strong,” he said.
Ogazi added that the situation may have been worsened by his recent health struggles.
“Maybe coupled with the fact that I was diagnosed with COVID two weeks ago, I don’t know. But yeah, I wasn’t in good shape,” he noted.
Despite his disappointment in Tokyo, the youngster reflected positively on his breakthrough season.
He captured the NCAA title earlier in the year, setting a season’s best of 44.43 and climbing to 15th on the global rankings.
“I would say my season was impressive and superb because my main goal was to win the NCAA and I got that done. After that, I was just going with the flow,” he said.
Ogazi arrived at these championships as one of Nigeria’s brightest hopes.
Already a bronze medallist at the African Championships in Douala and a finalist at the Paris Olympics, he was tipped as a potential semi-finalist in Tokyo.
However, his campaign ended prematurely in the heats after a slow start left him trailing the world’s best, his reaction time of 0.310, the slowest in his race.
For Nigeria, the men’s 400m remains a missed opportunity, as compatriot Chidi Okezie also failed to progress, finishing seventh in his heat with 45.66 to place 39th overall.
The 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships are being held in Tokyo, Japan at the Japan National Stadium from September 13 to September 21, 2025.
The championships will feature over 2000 athletes from nearly 200 countries competing across 49 events.
