Ghana’s long-standing 400m national records for both men and women have been shattered by two promising young athletes, signalling a new era for Ghanaian athletics.

Joseph Taylor, a first-year student at Duke University, blazed to a personal best time of 44.98 seconds to break the nearly three-decade-old men’s national record held by Ibrahim Hassan since 1996 (45.13 seconds). 

Taylor achieved this feat while clinching a silver medal in the finals of the 400m at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Outdoor Championships in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The 19-year-old’s performance not only earned him a place on the podium but also stamped him as one of the brightest prospects for Ghana in the sprinting world.

Nuhu's performance

On the women’s side, Rafiatu Nuhu stunned the field at the 2025 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Championships by clocking 51.46 seconds, erasing the previous national record of 51.82 seconds set by Akua Obeng-Akrofi in 2018.

Nuhu’s record-breaking performance came at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, Kansas, where she won Heat Four to advance to the next round. 

Her dominant display not only secured qualification but placed her firmly in the spotlight as a future star for Ghana.

These historic feats underscore the growing potential of Ghanaian athletes on the international stage and offer a major boost to the country's preparations for upcoming global competitions, including the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Japan.