NATHANIEL EZEKIEL OFFERS N750,000 PRIZE FOR 400M HURDLES AT ATHLETIC HEAT ANNIVERSARY

Read Time:1 Minute, 51 Second

By: Muftau Fatimo

Commonwealth Games champion and Nigeria’s national record holder in the men’s 400m hurdles, Nathaniel Ezekiel, has announced a N750,000 prize pool for the event at the 10th anniversary meet of Athletic Heat scheduled for November 7 in Lagos.

The prize money includes N500,000 allocated to the top eight finishers, alongside a N250,000 bonus for any athlete who runs the race in under 51 seconds.

The competition, tagged the Nathaniel Ezekiel 400m Hurdles Showdown, will take place at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Complex as part of activities marking a decade of Athletic Heat’s contribution to athletics development.

The anniversary meet is being organised under the theme, “10 Years of Impact. A Legacy That Keeps Running.”

Ezekiel said the additional bonus was designed to motivate athletes to push beyond their limits and achieve better performances.

With the incentive, competitors will have two targets: finishing among the top eight to earn a share of the prize money and recording a time below 51 seconds to qualify for the performance bonus.

The Commonwealth Games champion also commended Athletic Heat for its sustained commitment to developing athletics over the past decade.

He encouraged athletes who had yet to register for the competition to complete the process ahead of the event and wished all participants success in their preparations.

Meanwhile, Athletic Heat Chief Executive Officer, Ese Oguma, welcomed Ezekiel’s support, describing it as a significant contribution to an event aimed at inspiring the next generation of athletes.

Oguma said the sub-51-second target would provide competitors with a clear performance milestone while adding excitement to the anniversary programme.

He also expressed appreciation to Ezekiel for supporting the organisation’s vision and helping to create more opportunities for Nigerian athletes to showcase their talents.

Ezekiel is among several prominent Nigerian athletes supporting the anniversary meet with prize money. Others include shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, discus thrower Ebubechukwu Vincent Ugwoke, high jumper Temitope Adeshina and sprinter Edidiong Udo.

Registration for the meet is available on A3Tickets, with the deadline stated as October 24.

The development was contained in a statement issued by Maxwell Kumoye, Chairman of the Media Committee of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.