Ogazi sets sights on all-time greatness following groundbreaking gold triumph

With his maiden senior gold medal in the men's 400m at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Samuel Ogazi is now focused on claiming the title of the greatest athlete of all time, having achieved this historic win on Saturday.

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Ogazi, 20, justified his position as world number one by completing the race in 44.25 seconds at Scotstoun Stadium, securing Nigeria's first-ever gold in the event and surpassing Sunday Bada's bronze medal at the 1994 Games.

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He outpaced defending champion Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago by 0.57 seconds, with Richards taking silver in 44.82 seconds, while South Africa's Zakithi Nene claimed bronze in 45.21 seconds.

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Having already made a name for himself as a teenage Olympic finalist at Paris 2024 and the fourth-fastest man of all time over the distance, Ogazi arrived in Glasgow as a rising star seeking his first senior title, and he handled the pressure with ease.

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Ogazi reflected on his performance, saying, "I would not say I had extra pressure on me, it was just a bit of weight on my back to carry, I did not want to come out here and disappoint, I was confident, I came here prepared, I have trained for this and for conditions like this.

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He also commented on the initial part of the race, stating, "The first 100 was a little sluggish, but I knew I had a lot inside me, I just stayed controlled, kept it easy and kept going," Ogazi said.

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When asked about his future ambitions, Ogazi expressed his desire to win an Olympic gold, a world championship gold, and become the greatest athlete ever, stating, "Maybe an Olympic gold, a world championship gold, become the greatest athlete ever, that is what I am working towards,"

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Blaine Wiley, Ogazi's former coach at the University of Alabama, who watched the race, expressed his confidence in Ogazi's potential, saying, "Samuel is a remarkable athlete, he made the Olympic final as an 18-year-old and has grown and matured every year from a boy into a man.

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Wiley further emphasized Ogazi's potential, stating, "There are a lot of great athletes out there, but I believe the sky is the limit for Samuel,"