| Chidi Okezie | |
| Nationality: | American, Nigerian |
| Country: | Nigeria |
| Sport: | Running |
| Event: | 400 metres |
| Coach: | Maurice Pierce |
| Collegeteam: | Hampton Pirates |
| Fullname: | Chidi Anthony Okezie |
| Birth Date: | 1993 8, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height: | 2.01m[1] |
| Weight: | 90kg |
| Pb: | 400 m: 45.24 (Nevis 2018) |
Chidi Anthony Okezie (born 8 August 1993) is a sprinter.[2] Born in the United States, he competes internationally for Nigeria. He is a two-time African Championships bronze medallist in the 400 metres.
His father, Moses Okezie is Nigerian and his mother Carol Morris is Jamaican. He has nine siblings.[3] He graduated from Hampton University in 2015 and has a Master's in Sports Administration.
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.[4]
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.[5]
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.[6] He also won the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres.[6]
His personal best in the 400 metres is 45.24 s which he set at the 2018 Culturama Games in Nevis.
| Representing the | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | World Junior Championships | Barcelona, Spain | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:03.99 |
| Representing | ||||||
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, United States | 15th (h) | 400 m | 47.05 | |
| 5th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:08.55 | ||||
| African Championships | Durban, South Africa | 3rd | 400 m | 45.76 | ||
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 17th (sf) | 400 m | 48.53 | |
| Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 21st (sf) | 400 m | 47.33 | ||
| – | 4 × 400 m relay | DQ | ||||
| African Championships | Asaba, Nigeria | 3rd | 400 m | 45.65 | ||
| 3rd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:04.88 | ||||
| 2019 | African Games | Rabat, Morocco | 3rd | 400 m | 45.61 | |
| 3rd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:03.42 | ||||
| 2022 | African Championships | Port Louis, Mauritius | 4th | 200 m | 21.02 | |
| 3rd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:07.05 | ||||
| 2024 | African Games | Accra, Ghana | bgcolor=gold | 1st | 400 m | 45.06 |
| 3rd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:01.84 | ||||
| African Championships | Douala, Cameroon | 9th (sf) | 400 m | 45.96 | ||
| 4th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:02.93 | ||||
| Olympic Games | Paris, France | 16th (rep) | 400 m | 45.92 | ||
| – | 4 × 400 m relay | DQ | ||||
Outdoor
Indoor