Alabama's Samuel Ogazi Wins Men's 400-Meter National Championship

After he finished as the runner-up in the men's 400-meter at last year's NCAA Outdoor Championships, Alabama sophomore Sam Ogazi took the national title Friday, recording a 44.84 time and winning gold quite comfortably. He was the only competitor to run under 45 seconds.

The result signified the Crimson Tide program's first men's outdoor 400-meter national champion since Kirani James did it in back-to-back years from 2010-11. Ogazi won the SEC title in the event last month and is the present holder of the fastest 400-meter time in Alabama outdoor history (44.41 seconds).

Ogazi is an Olympian, having represented Nigeria in Paris last year. He placed seventh in the men's 400-meter there. He previously ran a 44.52 at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships. His 2025 SEC Championships time was 45.04.

"Oluwa is involved," Ogazi said Friday evening after his win in Eugene, Ore. "Oluwa in Yoruba means God, so God is involved."

He is also in the UA record books in indoor competition. Ogazi owns the seventh-fastest indoor 400-meter time in school history. The sophomore was a muti-time SEC Men's Freshman of the Week. He has five total golds in international competition: three from the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games and two from the 2023 African U18 Championships.

If Ogazi were to follow James' career trajectory, that would mean international fortune is in the former's near future. James won gold in the men's 400-meter at the 2012 Olympics in London. He medaled in 2016 (silver) and 2020 (gold), placing fifth in Paris.