Ahead of the 2024 National Trials in Benin City, African Games champion Chidi Okezie is eager to defend his men’s 400m title which he won at the same venue, the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in 2023.
The 30-year-old is back in the country to defend his title, few days after punching his ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Edmonton Athletics Invitational in Canada where he broke the 45-second barrier and stormed to victory with a new PB of 44.97s.
He had since turned his attention to the National Trials with the intention of defending his crown.
“Yes, I’m home to defend my title,” Okezie said.
In Benin City, Okezie faces the likes of Samuel Ogazi – the second fastest Nigerian man in history over 400m with an astonishing 44.52s at the NCAA Championships, Dubem Nwachukwu, Emmanuel Ojeli and Ezekiel Nathaniel who have all been in great form this year.
With one eye on his title, Okezie is also excited about the level of competition in the men’s 400m.
“It will be a great race for sure but only God knows the outcome, I’m just excited to be able to run.”
He became the first Nigerian man to win the African Games men’s 400m title since the great Innocent Egbunike in 1987, a huge feat after winning four bronze medals at the continental level, dating back to Durban in 2016 when he made his debut for Nigeria at the African Athletics Championships.
After winning his first-ever gold medal for Nigeria at the African Games in Ghana in March, Okezie has also inspired the men’s 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m relay teams to pick the Olympics tickets during the World Relays in the Bahamas.
Okezie played a strong part in qualifying for both events, running back-to-back inspiring races which secured the mixed 4x400m and men’s 4x100m relay spots for Nigeria at the Games.
The 30-year-old, joined by Dubem Nwachukwu, Dubem Amene and Sikiru Adeyemi in the men’s 4x400m produced a time of 3:01.70, the fastest time by a Nigerian male 4x400m team since the bronze-winning team of James Godday, Musa Audu, Saul Weigopwa and Enefiok Udo-Obong ran 3:00.90 at the Athens 2004 Olympics.
In the mixed event, Okezie, Samuel Ogazi, Ella Onojuvwevwo, and Esther Joseph broke the African record and also clocked a national record of 3:12.87. The previous record stood at 3:13.26, set by Emmanuel Ojeli, Patience Okon-George, Sikiru Adeyemi and Omolara Ogunmakinju at the 2023 African Games in Ghana.
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