Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel and Favour Ofili delivered standout performances at the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland on Wednesday night.
Nathaniel, 22, claimed his first Diamond League victory in the men’s 400m hurdles. He kept his composure in wet conditions to clock 48.08 seconds, edging out American Trevor Bassitt (48.14s) and Slovakia’s Matic Ian Gucek (49.23s).
Meanwhile Ezekiel Nathaniel last week had set a new Nigerian record after running a blistering 47.31 seconds to finish second in the men’s 400m hurdles at the Diamond League in Silesia, Poland.
The 22-year-old clocked a personal best to lower his own national record, pushing Olympic champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm, who won with a world-leading time of 46.28 seconds. Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba finished third in 47.34 seconds.
Ezekiel Nathaniel during his time at Baylor University. Photo Credit: X
Ofili added to Nigeria’s success with second place in the women’s 200m. She ran 22.31s, finishing just behind American Brittany Brown, who won in 22.23s. Côte d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith set a season-best of 22.37s to secure third.
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The women’s race also featured Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino (22.43s) and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (22.64s).
Favour Ofili, who is currently at the centre of an allegiance switch saga with Turkey, still competed for Nigeria in Silesia and Lausanne. (Photo: Paris 2024/X)
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In Poland last week, Favour Ofili crossed the line third in 22.25s in a race won by Reigning world champion Shericka Jackson who stormed to victory in the women’s 200m at the Silesia Diamond League, clocking a season’s best of 22.17 seconds
The Jamaican, who has dominated the half-lap event in recent years, held off a strong challenge from Olympic bronze medallist Brittany Brown of the United States, who finished just behind in 22.21s.
