Alabama runner Samuel Ogazi ran the 400-meter dash in 44.84 seconds to win gold and a national championship Friday in the NCAA outdoor track and field championships.
The next closest runner, William Jones of Southern Cal, finished with a time of 45.53 seconds. Jordan Pierre of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (45.75), DeSean Boyce of Texas Tech (45.78) and Joseph Taylor of Duke (45.83) rounded out the top five. The only other SEC runner in the top 9 was Texas A&M’s Auhmad Robinson who finished No. 7.
Ogazi is a sophomore sprinter from Kaduna, Nigeria. He previously won silver at the 2024 NCAA outdoor championships with a time of 44.52 in the 400-meter dash.
His national-championship winning time was still not as fast as his program record of 44.41 seconds in the outdoor race of the 400-meter dash, according to his UA bio. Ogazi also ranks seventh in program history for his indoor personal best of 46.27 seconds in the 400-meter dash.
Twice in 2024, Ogazi was named freshman of the week. In 2024, Ogazi also competed in the Paris Olympics, running for Nigeria. He wound up seventh in the 400, clocking in at 44.73 seconds.
