Following yet another historic result at Hayward Field, defending NCAA outdoor champion Samuel Ogazi set a new collegiate record in the men’s 400-meter final in 43.38 seconds June 12during the NCAA track and field championships.
It shattered Michael Norman’s (USC) record of 43.61 set in 2018.
“I feel amazing,” Ogazi said after the race. “Words can’t express how I feel right now.”
Ogazi said he was surprised when he saw the record-breaking number appear on the Hayward Field jumbotron, but not because he didn’t think he had that kind of time in him.
He said his NCAA regional time of 43.82 a few weeks ago felt “easy” and that Friday’s race at Hayward Field was easily the best reaction he’s had to the starting gun this season. Still, he didn’t quite expect to see that kind of time show on the screen following the race.
“It’s a dream come true,” Ogazi said of setting the record. “Growing up I’ve always wanted to get a collegiate record.”
Ogazi said he’s looked up to peers Norman, Kirani James and Quincy Hall, with the latter and several other current professionals telling him that if he believed in himself he could achieve whatever he wanted.
Add another trophy to his collection after an outdoor 400 title a year ago in Eugene and an indoor title back in March.
Jaiden Reid shocks field with collegiate record in men’s 200
The LSU junior, who has had a self-described “rocky” season battling chest pain due to asthma during indoor season, braved the Willamette Valley allergy season and ran a collegiate-record 19.63-second time in the men’s 200 final, usurping Auburn’s Israel Okon (19.99) and Trelee Banks of Indiana (20.02).
Reid also finished second in the men’s 100 after failing to qualify in the 60 or 200 finals of the NCAA Indoor Championships in March. He said that was mostly due to managing chest pain from his asthma.
“Crazy,” Reid said. “You just have to thank God, without him I couldn’t have done this … I just wanted to come out here and show what the blessings of God can do.”
Habtom Samuel a double champion in longest distance races
New Mexico distance runner and collegiate record-holder Habtom Samuel became the first athlete since 2023 (Ky Robinson, Stanford) to win both the men’s 5,000 and 10,000 in a single NCAA weekend, taking home the 5,000 title in 13:38.93 after winning the 10k in 27:51.31 Wednesday.
“I just trust the process and keep working hard and I did it,” Samuel said. “I’m so happy.”
Samuel, who won the 10,000 during his freshman season in 2024 but didn’t win an outdoor title in 2025, said the pace of the 5k was very stop-and-go and that his move with roughly 2,000 meters to go was to dictate the pace the rest of the way after a “painful” first 3,000.
From there, Samuel cruised to another win, though he was pushed over the last lap by Wake Forest’s Rocky Hansen, Samuel used his kick over the final 200 to separate with ease.
Other title winners in NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- Oklahoma senior Ralford Mullings had a best toss of 215 feet, 11 inches to win the men’s discus, holding off USC’s Racquil Broderick (210-5) and Vincent Ugwoke (209-7).
- Georgia’s Kimani Jack, the top seed in the men’s high jump, won the event with a clearance of 7-5 3/4.
- Tennessee’s 4×100-meter relay won a turbulent race in a season-best 37.98, as only five teams finished the race with four failed baton exchanges or drops. The top seed and collegiate record-holder Auburn did not finish the race.
- Kansas State’s Selva Prabhu made it a Wildcat sweep in the horizontal jumping events, winning the triple jump with a best mark of 55-6 1/4.
- Louisville’s Geoffrey Kirwa won the men’s 3,000 steeplechase in 8:17.46.
- Oregon’s Simeon Birnbaum won the men’s 1,500 with a strong kick over the last lap, winning in 3:36.05.
- Auburn junior Kanyinsola Ajayi won the men’s 100 in a season-best 9.72, which would have been a collegiate record if not for a +2.2 meter per second wind-aided mark.
- Northern Arizona’s Colin Sahlman won the men’s 800 in 1:44.22, a personal-best time just ahead of Tyrice Taylor’s 1:44.30.
- Auburn world record-holder Ja’Kobe Tharp won the men’s 110 hurdles in 12.90, not quite the record-setting 12.75 mark he set on Wednesday in the prelims, but enough to win the national title in the event.
- Florida’s Vance Nilsson shocked the field and favorite Ja’Qualon Scott of Texas A&M in the men’s 400 hurdles, winning with a personal-best 48.06. Second-seeded Kody Blackwood of Texas tripped before he could finish in 53.52.
- Georgia’s 4×400 relay captured the final title of the day in a collegiate-leading 2:57.93.
Arkansas wins the team title with 56 points
The Razorbacks won the men’s team title with 56 points, with Georgia finishing second (49), Tennessee third (46) and LSU fourth (42). Oregon finished just off the team podium with 40 points.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Samuel Ogazi, Jaiden Reid set new collegiate records in NCAA meet
