Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi produced one of the standout performances of the Commonwealth Games 2026, storming to victory in the men’s 400m semifinals in a sensational 44.52 seconds—the fastest semifinal ever run in Commonwealth Games history.
The 19-year-old announced himself as the overwhelming favourite for gold with a commanding display, becoming the only athlete to break the 45-second barrier across the three semifinal races.
Ogazi’s dominance was evident from the opening metres as he powered away from the field before easing towards the finish. In a moment that quickly went viral, the Nigerian flashed a peace sign and appeared to gesture “thank you for coming to my show” just before crossing the finish line, underlining just how comfortably he had won.
His winning time left the rest of the field trailing well behind. Botswana’s Lee Eppie finished second in 45.26s, while Jamaica’s Zandriyon Barnes took third in 45.38s.
The gap of nearly three-quarters of a second between Ogazi and the rest of the field highlighted the exceptional quality of his run.
With no other semifinalist dipping below 45 seconds, Ogazi heads into the final as the clear athlete to beat. His 44.52s not only rewrote the Commonwealth Games semifinal record but also reaffirmed the form that has established him as one of the world’s most exciting young quarter-milers.
If he can reproduce anything close to his semifinal performance, the Nigerian will be the overwhelming favourite to claim the Commonwealth Games title.