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Nigerian 400m specialist Chidi Okezie ran a blistering race to win his first professional race of the season in Belgrade.

Competing in his second professional race of the 2025 season, African Games 400m champion Chidi Okezie stormed to a resounding win at the Belgrade Indoor Meet – the second leg of the World Athletics Indoor Continental Tour Gold.

The Nigerian quarter-mile specialist blazed to a new Season’s Best (SB) performance of 46.54s, ahead of French man Gilles Biron in 46.77s and Rok Ferlan third in 46.96s.

Okezie’s performance was a huge improvement from his 46.99s season opener last weekend in Astana, and his winning mark is his second-best time indoors since he ran a personal best of 46.48s in 2016.

This proves the 31-year-old is peaking at his own pace as the season progresses and ahead of the World Indoor Championships in March.

The inspiring journey of talented 400m runner Chidi Okezie whose choice of representing Nigeria over USA and Jamaica paid off by becoming an Olympian.

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Last season, Okezie had his best career year with his gold medal-winning moment at the African Games in Ghana.

He clinched the 400m title in a personal best of 45.06s, which saw him become the first Nigerian since the legendary Innocent Egbunike attained the feat in 1987. Likewise, he clocked his first career sub-45s to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Sadly, the Olympics didn’t go his way with a failed attempt to advance from the men’s 400m heats (he finished fifth in the repechage round with a time of 45.92s). Consequently, the Nigerian men’s 4x400m relay squad was denied a final berth following a lane infringement from one of the runners, leading to a disqualification.

With the heartbreak behind him, Okezie will aim to make the 2025 season better by winning at least a world championship medal, which will hugely raise his ranks as one of the world’s best 400m runners.