For the longest time, when you talked about Nigerian hurdlers in the Track and Field setup, one name lit up every conversation — Oluwatobiloba “Tobi” Amusan. The daughter of schoolteachers from the quiet town of Ijebu Ode, Tobi, blazed her way into global stardom, stunning the world in 2022 with a mind-blowing 12.12 seconds in the 100m hurdles. She isn’t just fast! Just for records: She became Nigeria’s first-ever world champion in athletics after that sub-12.5 run in the World Championships in Eugene in 2022. Tobi’s rise has been nothing short of legendary. But now, across the Atlantic — nearly 9,000 miles away under the dusky Kansas sky, another Nigerian name is starting to echo in track circles.
The sky was turning a soft shade of gold as the lights at Rock Chalk Park began to flicker on. Prelims for the 400m hurdles were up, and the crowd, sensing something, leaned forward in their seats. Down on the track, warming up in his Baylor green kit, was a tall, composed figure — Nathaniel Ezekiel. No theatrics. No chest-thumping. Just headphones in, eyes calm, and a quiet fire brewing inside.
He didn’t need to tell anyone he was ready. You could feel it. Now, this guy had choices. He’s the Big 12’s best in both the 400m dash and the 400m hurdles. He could’ve picked either. But after a thoughtful chat with his coaches, he went with the hurdles. And that’s when the magic began.
From the moment the gun went off, Ezekiel was poetry in motion. Every stride, every hurdle — clean, powerful, controlled. It was one of those races where time seemed to bend. You watch in real-time, but it feels like you’re witnessing something that’ll be replayed for years. Then, boom-47.90 lit up the clock. Gasps. Cheers. Silence. Then more cheers.
Nathaniel Ezekiel’s 47.90 400mH race
Nigerian national record
Big 12 meet record
7⃣7th fastest in collegiate history pic.twitter.com/DIl1p9R2Om
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) May 16, 2025
That number didn’t just mean a win. It meant history. It was the seventh-fastest time ever run by a collegiate athlete. It shattered the Big 12 meet record. It broke his own Nigerian and Baylor records. And, most importantly, it was the first time in his life he’d ever dipped under 48 seconds. Only a tiny group of NCAA athletes has ever done that. Nathaniel just joined the club.
Nathaniel Ezekiel isn’t new to big moments — he’s already been to the Olympic semifinals in Paris earlier last year. But this? This might be the moment the world starts paying attention.
Because for the first time in a long time, Nigeria — a country of over 200 million — is watching someone rise in the footsteps of Tobi Amusan, the hurdling queen herself. And Nathaniel?
The track and Field star has been on a tear since he joined Baylor
Ever since Nathaniel Ezekiel stepped onto Baylor’s track, it’s been one highlight reel after another. From freshman year to now, the track and field star has been on fire, collecting medals, rewriting records, and leaving jaws on the floor across the NCAA.
You name it, he’s done it. Big 12 champion? Multiple times. NCAA bronze medalist? Twice in the 400m hurdles. Indoor or outdoor, he’s brought the heat — whether it’s anchoring the 4×400, smashing PRs, or clocking a personal best of 47.90 to break Big 12, Baylor, and Nigerian records in one go.
And just when you think he’s peaked, he pulls off a 45.40 in the open 400m, wins another Big 12 gold in hurdles, and books his ticket to the Paris Olympics. Oh — and he casually drops the fastest 600-yard time on a banked track in NCAA history along the way.
From indoor sprints to outdoor hurdles, Ezekiel has become Baylor’s unstoppable force — a quiet storm with world-class speed. Six trips to the national podium in three years? That’s not luck.
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