Favour Ofili
The Nigerian prodigy Favour Ofili took everyone by storm in 2022, dominating NCAA circuits with aplomb in a season to savour for her. Ofili became the first collegiate woman in history to run sub 22s in the 200m, setting an NCAA Record of 21.96s in April, before Abby Steiner ran 21.80s to surpass that.
Ofili evolved this season and grabbed her place in Nigerian Athletics folklore, becoming the first Nigerian woman to run sub 22s, and 3rd fastest ever in women’s 100m after running 10.93s. She joined an elite group of athletes, even surpassing the legendary Mary Onyali who won Bronze for Nigeria in the 200m at 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
“Since my new Nigerian Record 21.96s, nothing has really changed; nothing special has really changed” Ofili said about her record. “I am trying to keep my head down, and not allow what’s happening online (the buzz about her performance) get to my head.”
“Nothing really changed when it comes to attitude and character. I am just happy; it’s natural for anybody to feel happy,” she further added.
This season, she thrice broke her 200m indoor African record, becoming only the second African woman to run sub 23s in this environment. The only other African woman to do so was Murielle Ahoure who ran it once, running 22.80s. Ofili has done it nine times, and has an indoor AR of 22.46s.
After losing the NCAA 200m title to Steiner, and not medalling in the 100m, Ofili opted to rest and prepare for the World Championships if she was going to challenge for a medal. The Nigerian Athletics Federation granted her an exemption, and she has had at a least a month’s rest to recover from the exhaustion of the NCAA season.
This season, she has run a staggering 56 races, helping her school Louisiana State University win multiple laurels across regional conferences. However it took a toll on her. Although she would double in 100m and 200m, she is more adept for the half-lap race and could really challenge for a medal in it. She will face Steiner yet again, but she will have a much larger pool of established pros like Shericka Jackson, Elaine Thompson and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce to worry about.
Ofili is the 5th fastest woman in the 200m this season, and with Christine Mboma still recuperating from an injury, the former will be going into the championships as the 4th fastest in 2022.
The last Nigerian to win a track medal at the World Championships was Blessing Okagbare in 2013 in Moscow. Incidentally it was in the 200m that Okagbare won the medal in, adding to the Silver she won in the Long Jump. This season, Ofili has taken Okagbare’s 200m record, and who knows could also take over from where Okagbare stopped, going on to win a medal in this event.