Ghana’s 400m records in both the men’s and women’s categories have been rewritten, thanks to two remarkable young athletes making waves on the international stage.
Joseph Taylor, a freshman at Duke University, became the fastest Ghanaian over 400m in nearly three decades after clocking an astonishing 44.98 seconds at the ACC Outdoor Championships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This stunning performance shattered the long-standing national record of 45.13 seconds set by Ibrahim Hassan in 1996.
Taylor’s time not only earned him a silver medal at the meet but also marked a significant milestone in his early career, cementing his status as a rising star in Ghanaian athletics. His sub-45 performance is a major breakthrough for the West African nation, which has long sought to produce world-class quarter-milers.
Meanwhile, Rafiatu Nuhu also made history on the women’s side, breaking a nine-year-old national record with a blistering 51.46 seconds at the 2025 NJCAA D1 Outdoor Championships at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, Kansas. Nuhu’s performance eclipsed the previous record of 51.82 seconds, set by Akua Obeng-Akrofi in 2018, and secured her a spot in the next round of the competition.
As Ghanaian athletics looks to rebuild its track and field dominance, the record-breaking feats by Taylor and Nuhu offer a promising glimpse into the future of the sport in the country. Both athletes have emerged as strong contenders for international competitions, potentially marking a new era for Ghana’s sprinting success.
