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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Sports

I want to leave records that will be hard to break – Ogazi

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Sources not specified Context piece
  • Nigerian 400m record holder Samuel Ogazi achieved his biggest career moment by winning gold in the 400m at the Commonwealth Games.
  • Ogazi described the season as phenomenal, attributing his success to improved recovery, hydration, and core training.
  • He aims to set records that will be difficult for future athletes to break.

Samuel Ogazi, Nigeria's men's 400m record holder and NCAA champion, has achieved a significant milestone by winning gold at the Commonwealth Games. The victory marks the biggest moment of his life and his first global competition medal. Ogazi expressed his pride in demonstrating that Nigerian athletes can compete effectively against professionals on the world stage.

They mean a lot to me because I have been working towards that. Coming out here and being able to show the world that we are not just NCAA athletes, that we can also compete against the pros and everybody, means a lot to me.

— Samuel OgaziOn the significance of his Commonwealth Games medals.

Reflecting on his performance, Ogazi noted the intensity required to break the championship record, despite a sluggish start out of the blocks. He is actively working on improving his reaction time from the start, a part of his race he acknowledges needs fixing. "I am always sluggish out of the blocks, but I pick up after the first 100m or 150m. Right now, I am going back to work on that part of my race," he stated.

This is like the biggest moment of my life. This is my first global competition and this is the biggest thing I have achieved.

— Samuel OgaziDescribing the impact of his gold medal win.

Ogazi described his current season as "phenomenal," a stark contrast to previous years where he focused on building a foundation. This year, he prioritized recovery, hydration, and core training, which he believes has led to a significant shift in his performance. "From February till now, a lot has changed, and I don’t want to take my foot off the gas," he said.

I am always sluggish out of the blocks, but I pick up after the first 100m or 150m. Right now, I am going back to work on that part of my race. That needs to be fixed.

— Samuel OgaziDiscussing areas for improvement in his race technique.

With his recent successes, including breaking records, Ogazi remains confident in his abilities. He believes he always had the talent but credits his dedicated practice and hard work for his breakthrough. Looking ahead, Ogazi is driven by a desire to leave a legacy, setting records that will be challenging for future generations to surpass.

It’s been phenomenal. Coming into the season, my prayer to God was to stand out. I used to remind myself that this year was going to be my year.

— Samuel OgaziCharacterizing his breakthrough season.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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