Nigeria’s sprint sensation, Favour Ofili, is poised to make her highly anticipated debut at the Grand Slam Track league today, competing against a star-studded field in the women’s 100m and 200m events at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida.
The second leg of the series, launched by four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson, will feature 96 of the world’s top talents across a three-day face-off, with a $100,000 top prize on offer in each event.
Ofili, the 200m national record holder, will be the first full-blooded Nigerian to feature in the Grand Slam Track league, following her withdrawal from the opening leg in Kingston, Jamaica earlier this month.
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She enters the weekend off the back of an encouraging performance at the Tom Jones Invitational in Florida, where she opened her season with a time of 22.34 seconds (+0.2) in the 200m to finish second behind Saint Lucian Olympic champion Julien Alfred.
In Miramar, Ofili will face a formidable lineup that includes Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas, Great Britain’s Daryll Neita, American sprinters Brittany Brown, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Tamari Davis, Jacious Sears, and Kayla White.
Thomas, who competed in the 200m and 400m at the Kingston leg, is expected to be the favorite, having dropped down to the short sprint category this weekend.
The Grand Slam Track league is designed to give athletes more opportunities to compete at the highest level, with League Commissioner Michael Johnson noting that the format compels athletes to test themselves beyond their usual distances, creating more exciting matchups.
Favour Ofili.
“Grand Slam Track is the first truly professional track league for track athletes,” Johnson said. “As opposed to these athletes having to wait every four years for an opportunity to show that they’re the best and compete against the best, we do it four times a year.”
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Ofili’s debut in the Grand Slam Track league is a significant milestone for Nigerian athletics, and her performance will be eagerly watched by fans and pundits alike. With her impressive form in the 200m event, she has the potential to make a strong impression and challenge the top athletes in the competition.
The women’s 100m race is scheduled for Friday, May 2, at 11:52 pm Nigerian time, while the 200m event will take place on Sunday at midnight. With the stakes high and the competition fierce, Ofili will need to be at her best to emerge victorious and make a statement in the world of track and field.
