Tide Makes History At Paris Olympics

At the 2024 Paris Olympics on Tuesday, three current and former Alabama Track & Field runners made history by winning their respective heats. As a result, all three runners advanced to the final pool of the eight fastest athletes in the world.

Kirani James (Grenada), who is currently 31 years old, formerly ran Track & Field for the Tide in 2011. In James's first appearance for the Crimson Tide, he ran the 400 meters in 45.79 seconds. This incredible performance not only placed him first but also obliterated a college record that had been standing for 10 years, according to Kirani James's Olympic Biography.

At the London 2012 Olympic games, James made history by winning Grenada its first Olympic medal when he earned gold in the 400-meter finals. Now, James has once again made history by becoming the first man to appear in four final events in the Olympic 400-meter race, after winning first place in his heat with a time of 43.78.

On Wednesday, James came in 5th place in the 400-meter finals, just behind teammate Jereem Richards, who finished 4th. The former gold medalist ran a time of 43.87 seconds.

Jereem Richards (Trinidad & Tobago) was a member of the Crimson Tide's Track & Field team from 2016 to 2017. Before attending the University of Alabama, Richards competed for South Plains Track & Field, a junior college located in Levelland, Texas. During his time there, he achieved victory in the 2015 NJCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship in the 400 meters, as stated in Jereem Richards's biography on Alabama's Track & Field page.

Richards, who is currently 30 years old, competed in his first Olympics four years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he finished eighth in the 400-meter final. In the Paris 2024 Olympics, Richards advanced to the finals, placing 2nd in his heat with a time of 44.33.

Richards finished in 4th place in the men's 400-meter final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with a time of 43.78 seconds, just .04 seconds behind the bronze medalist.

Samuel Ogazi (Nigeria) currently competes for the Crimson Tide's Track & Field team. He recently completed his freshman season with the Tide, during which he won SEC Freshman of the Week twice. Ogazi, who is just 18 years old, is the youngest runner in this year's 400-meter final and is making history for his country as the first Nigerian man to compete in the Olympic 400-meter final since 1988, according to Alabama's Track & Field Page.

Ogazi secured his place in the 400-meter finals by finishing 3rd in his heat with a personal best time of 44.41. However, in the 400-meter finals, which took place on Wednesday, he placed 7th with a time of 44.73.

These individuals may not have won, but they have not only brought pride to the University of Alabama but also to their entire country. They have shown that they are among the eight fastest men in the world in the 400-meter race.