Nigerian sprint sensation Favour Ofili delivered a standout performance at the ATX Sprint Classic in Texas, storming to victory in the women’s 100m final with a new personal best of 10.87 seconds.
This marks her first race appearance since widespread reports suggested she might switch allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey due to dissatisfaction with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
Ofili, who holds the Nigerian 200m record (21.96s), had recently made international headlines after setting a new women’s 150m world record (15.85s) at the Adidas Atlanta City Games. At the Texas event, she won her 100m heat convincingly, beating top American sprinter Kayla White (11.07s), before going on to claim gold in the final.
Rosemary Chukwuma Also Impresses Despite Narrow Miss at Podium
Fellow Nigerian sprinter Rosemary Chukwuma, 23, also stood out in the heats, clocking 10.93 seconds to beat USA’s Gabby Thomas and secure a spot in the final. Though she missed out on a podium finish, she placed a respectable 5th overall with 10.98s, improving on her season’s best.
Another Nigerian competitor, Success Umukoro, was unable to progress to the final, finishing third in her heat with a time of 11.43s.
Eyes on Tokyo: Ofili and Chukwuma to Represent Nigeria at World Championships
Both Ofili and Chukwuma have now qualified to represent Nigeria at the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, later this year. Their recent form provides renewed hope for Team Nigeria’s medal prospects on the global stage, especially amidst ongoing concerns about athlete management and federation support back home.
