Chidi Anthony Okezie (born 8 August 1993) is a sprinter. Born in the United States, he competes internationally for Nigeria. He is a two-time African Championships bronze medallist in the 400 metres.
Personal His father, Moses Okezie is Nigerian and his mother Carol Morris is Jamaican. He has nine siblings. He graduated from Hampton University in 2015 and has a Master's in Sports Administration.
Career Okezie was part of the American 4 × 400 m relay team that won a gold medal at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Barcelona.
He represented Nigeria at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and reached the semifinals of the 400 m. He also ran the anchor leg for the country in the 4 x 400 metres relay heats. The team finished second but were eventually disqualified for a lane infringement.
The 2018 African Championships were a success for Okezie. He won an individual bronze medal in the 400 metres behind Baboloki Thebe and Thapelo Phora. This made him a two-time African Championships bronze medallist as he had won a bronze medal at the 2016 Championships in Durban. He later anchored the Nigerian 4 x 400 m relay team to a bronze medal behind Kenya and South Africa. Okezie was also a member of the African quartet that placed second in the mixed 4 x 400 m relay at the 2018 IAAF Continental Cup.
In 2019, he won the bronze medal in the men's 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2019 African Games held in Rabat, Morocco. He also won the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres.
His personal best in the 400 metres is 45.24 s which he set at the 2018 Culturama Games in Nevis.
Competition record Representing the 2012World Junior ChampionshipsBarcelona, Spain1st4 × 400 m relay3:03.99Representing 2016World Indoor ChampionshipsPortland, United States15th (h)400 m47.055th4 × 400 m relay3:08.55African ChampionshipsDurban, South Africa3rd400 m45.762018World Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom17th (sf)400 m48.53Commonwealth GamesGold Coast, Australia21st (sf)400 m47.33 –4 × 400 m relayDQAfrican ChampionshipsAsaba, Nigeria3rd400 m45.653rd4 × 400 m relay3:04.882019African GamesRabat, Morocco3rd400 m45.613rd4 × 400 m relay3:03.422022African ChampionshipsPort Louis, Mauritius4th200 m21.023rd4 × 400 m relay3:07.052024African GamesAccra, Ghana1st400 m45.063rd4 × 400 m relay3:01.84African ChampionshipsDouala, Cameroon9th (sf)400 m45.964th4 × 400 m relay3:02.93Olympic GamesParis, France16th (rep)400 m45.92 –4 × 400 m relayDQ2025World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan39th (h)400 m45.662026African ChampionshipsAccra, Ghana6th200 m20.99
National titles
200 Metres - 20.62 (Gold), 2025 400 Metres - 45.83 (Gold), 2023 400 Metres - 46.21 (Gold), 2021
Personal bests Outdoor 400 metres – 44.97 (Edmonton, 2024) 200 metres – 20.62 (Abeokuta, 2025) 100 metres – 10.57 (Raleigh, 2017)
Indoor 200 metres – 21.02 (Boston 2016) 400 metres – 46.48 (Boston 2016)
References
External links
DyeStat profile for Chidi Okezie Hampton Pirates bio