One of Nigeria’s most consistent athletes this season, Tobi Amusan will face her stiffest competition yet when she takes on Michigan’s Cindy Ofili in the semis of the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships, which took off on Wednesday, June 8 in Oregon.
Both athletes have been grouped in Heat 3 of the 100m Hurdles semis slated to hold on Thursday, with University of Texas El Paso’s (UTEP) Amusan being handed Lane 2, while Ofili will occupy Lane 5.
They will be joined by Micha Auzenne, Chastity Stewart, Pedrya Seymour, Chanice Chase, Kaila Barber and Alexia Fortenberry.
Ofili narrowly lost the 2015 NCAA title to Kendra Harrison, who incidentally, is now the World Leader in the event. She will be hoping to win the crown this time around as she comes with an NCAA leading time of 12.66s, which puts her on No.6 in the world rankings.
African Games Champion Amusan comes with a Season’s Best (SB) of 12.83s set in April, and will aim to upstage Ofili in Oregon.
Margaret Bamgbose and Florence Uwakwe will both compete in the women’s 400m on Thursday. Uwakwe will compete in Heat 2 alongside NCAA leader Courtney Okolo, while Bamgbose has been placed in Heat 3, and will face the likes of Chrisann Gordon and USC’s Kendall Ellis.
African Games Champion in the women’s Shot put, Claire Uke and compatriot Nwanneka Okwelogu will both compete in the women’s Shot put final on Thursday as well, after which Okwelogu will then take part in the women’s Discus final on Saturday.
Meanwhile University of Florida’s Adekunle Fasasi has earned a spot in the men’s 400m and 4x400m final billed to hold on Friday and Saturday respectively. He finished with the seventh fastest time overall after winning Heat 3 with a time of 45.55s. Teammates, Arman Hall (45.19s) and Najee Glass (45.31s) also made it to the final.
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