Nigerian sprinter Samuel Ogazi says officials asked him to compete in the 400m race at the World Athletics Championships despite informing them he was injured.
The 19-year-old said the injury affected his performance on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.
Ogazi lined up at Japan’s National Stadium in Heat 3 of the 400m race, but finished in fifth place, ending his participation in the championships.
Speaking with journalists after the race, the youngster said the Nigerian officials insisted on his participation, adding that he informed them of his hamstring injury.
“I told Team Nigeria officials I wasn’t prepared for this race because my hamstring is bothering me. But they still insisted I should go and run, so I did what I could, and that’s the outcome,” he said.
“On Monday, back home [before leaving for Tokyo], I had a very good practice. I felt ready.
“I flew here on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I went for a shakeout, and I felt some tweak, some shaking on my hamstring. And I don’t run with injuries. Everybody who knows me knows I don’t run with injuries.
“So I told them, I think the day before yesterday. ‘Yo, I’m not prepared for this. I don’t think I could do anything if I go out there’. But they said, ‘just go out there and give it your all’.”
The University of Alabama athlete said he had a poor pre-race preparation, and further had his leg taped by the team’s doctor to compete despite his readiness to drop out of the race.
Ogazi also revealed that he was diagnosed with COVID-19 two weeks before the championships.
“I was willing to sit out [the race]. I was very, very much willing to sit out,” he said.
“During the warm-up, I spoke with the doctor. He taped my leg. I told him ‘I’m not ready. I know I’m not feeling healthy and strong yet. Right now, I’m not feeling healthy and strong’. I don’t know, maybe coupled with the fact that I was diagnosed with COVID two weeks ago.”
Despite the disappointing end to his participation in the championships, Ogazi said winning the 400m title at the NCAA outdoor championship in July was the highlight of his season.
“I would say my season was impressive and superb because my main goal was to win the NCAAs. And I got that done. After that, I was just going with the flow,” he said.
Ogazi is the second Nigerian athlete to crash out on the second day of the championships.
Chidi Okezie had earlier finished in last place with a 45.66s finish in Heat 2 of the 400m event.
