Alabama
LSU Bayou Battle
Samuel Ogazi Clocks the Fastest U20 Global Time to Conclude Final Day of Battle on the Bayou
3/30/2024 3:40:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Ogazi’s new personal-best 45.35 in the men’s 400-meter is the fastest U20 time in the world this year
BATON ROUGE, La. – On the final day of the Battle on the Bayou, Samuel Ogazi recorded the second-fastest time this season in the NCAA for the men's 400-meter dash. Ogazi's personal-best time of 45.35 gave the freshman the fastest U20 time in the world this season, as well as the second-fastest U20 time in Nigerian history.
In the final event of the weekend, the men's 4x400-meter relay contingent of Ogazi, Chris Robinson, Khaleb McRae and Hasani Barr scored a first-place finish after crossing the line in 3:00.77 to claim the meet record, as well as the fastest collegiate time this season.
The weekend's first day of action was highlighted by Robinson (men's 400m hurdle | 49.13) and Hilda Olemomoi (women's 10,000m | 32:22.20), both clocking the fastest collegiate time this season to capture event titles in their respective events.
In total, Alabama would claim four event titles and 26 top-10 finishes while in Baton Rouge, La., in addition to an event win while in Palo Alto, Calif. Four different athletes also adjusted UA's all-time top-10 lists in the weekend competitions.
HEAD COACH DAN WATERS
"Great weekend, here in Baton Rouge and out on the west coast. We had great performances all around; multiple top-10 finishes and a few second and third-fastest NCAA-leading times, highlighted by Sam (Ogazi), Chris (Robinson), Hilda (Olemomoi) and our 4x400m squad (Robinson, Ogazi, Khaleb McRae, Hasani Barr). I'm ecstatic for Sam, he ran the fastest U20 time in the world in the 400m, as well as Chris, Hilda and our 4x400m squad all running an NCAA-leading time in the 400m hurdle, 10,000m and the 4x400m, respectively."
CRIMSON TIDE TOP FINISHES
- Nathan Cooper returned a ninth-place finish in the men's shot put with a 16.73-meter (54-10.75) throw
- Amani Heaven finished sixth in the women's discus with a 53.30-meter (174-10) throw
- Heaven's throw is now ninth all-time in program history
- Barry Evans finished 10th in the men's discus with a 51.03-meter (167-05) throw
- Evans' mark is a new PR
- Amani Heaven finished ninth in the women's shot put with a 16.01-meter (52-6.50) throw
- Khristian Watson finished 10th in the men's high jump with a 2.05-meter (6-8.75) jump
- On the track, the women's 4x100-meter relay squad of Na'Taja Ballard, Miracle Ailes, Milan Fields and Caelyn Harris finished eighth after clocking 44.69
- The squad now holds the 10th-best time in program history
- Samuel Ogazi (second | 45.35), Khaleb McRae (eighth | 46.10) and Hasani Barr (tenth | 46.68) gave the Tide a trio of top-10 finishes in the men's 400-meter dash
- Ogazi's time is a new personal-best, fifth in program history and the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season
- Tarsis Orogot (second | 10.12) and Jekovan Rhetta (seventh | 10.24) gave the Tide a pair of top-10 finishes in the men's 100-meter dash
- Orogot's time is the third-fastest in the NCAA this season
- Rhetta's time of 10.24 is a new personal-best
- Robinson, Ogazi, McRae and Barr finished first in the men's 4x400-meter relay after crossing the line in 3:00.77
- The men's 4x400-meter relay squad of Jonathan Martin, Corde Long, Matthew Weaver and Spencer Gudgel collected a 10th-place finish behind a 3:11.68 performance
UP NEXT
- Alabama will return home to host its annual Crimson Tide Invitational next weekend, April 5-6, at the Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium
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