Ogazi smashed records and Lemngole defended her title, showcasing Alabama's track & field dominance at the SEC Championships.
When the lights were the brightest at the SEC Indoor Championships, Alabama showed up.
It was the kind of championship stage that demands toughness, focus, and the ability to deliver when everything is on the line, and that’s exactly what Alabama track and field got from Samuel Ogazi and Doris Lemngole.
Let’s start with Ogazi.
The 400-meter star didn’t just win, he made a statement. His blistering 44.72 not only secured the SEC title, but it also set a facility record at the R.A. “Murray” Fasken ’38 Indoor Track & Field facility. On top of that, he broke a 15-year-old Alabama school record (44.80) that had been held by Crimson Tide legend Kirani James.
Think about that for a second.
Breaking a record that stood for over a decade and a half, and doing it at the SEC Championships.. that’s elite company. The 2025 All-American and Paris Olympian continues to elevate the standard in Tuscaloosa, and he’s doing it against the best competition in the country.
And then there’s Doris Lemngole: steady, smooth, and dominant.
She clocked an 8:45.90 in the women’s 3,000 meters, gliding to gold while also setting a new facility record. Even more impressive? This marks back-to-back SEC indoor titles in the 3,000m for Lemngole, the first Alabama woman ever to accomplish that feat.
That’s not just consistency.
That’s championship DNA.
As a team, Alabama’s women finished sixth with 58 points, while the men placed seventh with 42.4 points. Head coach Dan Waters acknowledged that while there were outstanding individual performances and podium finishes, the team knows it left points on the track.
Championship meets demand depth.
They demand execution in every event.
But here’s the encouraging part: Alabama has stars who thrive under pressure.
When the moment gets big, Ogazi and Lemngole don’t flinch.
Now the focus shifts to Nationals in two weeks.
Adjustments will be made.
Recovery will happen.
And if this weekend showed us anything, it’s that Alabama has athletes capable of winning on the biggest stage.
Gold medals.
Facility records.
School records.
That’s the standard.
And Alabama Track and Field is chasing even more.