Ezekiel Nathaniel, the 21-year-old Nigerian hurdler, is turning heads at the 2025 World Athletics Championships after running an electrifying 47.47 seconds in the 400m hurdles semifinals  the fastest time across all semifinals. 

With that performance, he has become the first Nigerian man to reach the men’s 400m hurdles final since Henry Amike did in 1987. 

Already holder of the Nigerian record (47.31s from Chorzów, 2025) , Nathaniel is now being viewed as a global contender. He has specifically warned the established “Big 3” hurdlers that they’ll have to watch out. 

Expectations are high: in the final, Nathaniel will aim not just for a medal, but to break more records and cement his standing among the world’s elite.

📌 Sources: Athletics Federation of Nigeria reports, Premium Times, Vanguard, Making of Champions