Nigeria’s Ezekiel Narrowly Misses World

Championship Podium, Sets New Record

Nigeria’s Nathaniel Ezekiel narrowly missed podium placement in the final of the men’s 400m hurdles event of the 2025 World Athletics Championship in Tokyo, Japan yesterday afternoon.

The American NCAA champion who finished fourth however set a new national record of 47.11 secs to erased his previous best of 47.31.

American Rai Benjamin clocked 46.52 season’s best performance to take the gold and confirmed he’s the king of the 400m hurdles having won the title at Paris 2024 Olympics.

There was however a temporary drama when Benjamin was disqualified after he hit the last hurdle and appeared to have moved into the neighbouring lane but was reinstated after Team USA team appealed against the ruling.

Brazilian Alison Dos Santos won the silver with 46.84 seconds while Abderrahman Samba of Qatar settled for bronze with 47.06 season best to push Ezekiel to fourth place. 2025 world leader and record holder, Karsten Warholm of Norway, faltered in the contest after kicking the third hurdle. Warholm finished fifth with 47.58secs

In the women’s race, Dutch runner, Femke Bol, pulled away from the pack to win a back-to-back title a world-leading 51.54secs.

Jasmine Jones of the USA, took the silver with a PB of 52.08 while Emma Zapletova of the Slovak Republic earned bronze with a national record of 53.00.