Chidi Okezie runs fastest-ever career season opener in Botswana
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Nigeria's 400m star Chidi Okezie began his 2025 outdoor season on an impressive note, clocking his fastest-ever career opener at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on Saturday (April 12).
Running in a stacked 400m race, the African Games champion held his own against some of the world's best quarter-milers as he finished fourth in a Season's Best (SB) performance of 45.15s - the second fastest time by a Nigerian in the world this year.
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Homeboy Bayapo Ndori continued with his unbeaten run to take the win in a brilliant SB of 44.35s, while South Africa's duo of Zakithi Nene and Lythe Pillay were second and third in respective 44.68s and 44.97s.
Another win for Ndori 💪
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) April 12, 2025
🇧🇼's Bayapo Ndori dominates in front of a home crowd in Gaborone with the second fastest 400m this year, clocking 44.35 🔥
Livestream 🔗 https://t.co/120v1XvHMn#ContinentalTourGold pic.twitter.com/yjEYmtZlht
Okezie's performance was a huge improvement from his indoor season as he struggled to go under the 46s mark.
He'll be aiming to build on this form for the rest of the year with the goal of hitting the world championship standard and making the Nigerian team to Tokyo this summer.
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