In a stunning display of speed and talent, three Nigerian athletes Favour Ofili, Kanyinsola Ajayi, and Tima Godbless have secured their spots for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
The trio made history at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, where they delivered standout performances that not only marked major milestones in their careers but also solidified Nigeria’s presence on the global athletics stage. With each athlete setting personal bests and breaking barriers, the journey to Tokyo has already begun on a high note.
Ofili’s Strong Start to 2025 Season
Favour Ofili lit up the track in the women’s 200m, finishing second with an impressive time of 22.34 seconds. She was narrowly beaten by Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, who clocked 21.88 seconds.
Ofili’s second-place finish not only marked a strong start to her 2025 season but also solidified her qualification for the World Championships.
The LSU sprinter wrapped up the 2024 season with a personal best of 22.05 seconds, improving on her 22.11 indoor mark from 2023.
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Ofili made history in 2022 when she became the first Nigerian woman to run under 22 seconds, setting a personal best of 21.96 seconds.
Ofili is a graduate of Sport and Fitness Administration/Management from Louisiana State University. Photo Credit: X
After a semifinal appearance in the 200m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ofili is now focused on her next global stage in Tokyo.
Ajayi Breaks the 10-Second Barrier
Kanyinsola Ajayi made waves in the men’s 100m, clocking a blistering 9.96 seconds to take first place. This momentous run makes Ajayi the 11th Nigerian man to break the 10-second barrier and the first Nigerian male sprinter to qualify for the 2025 World Championships in the 100m.
Ajayi competed in the 100 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he reached the semi-finals. Photo Credit: X
Ajayi’s rise has been meteoric. Just last month, he matched the long-standing Nigerian 60m record of 6.48 seconds, previously held by Deji Aliu. While Aliu took four years to dip under the 10-second mark, Ajayi achieved it in just over a month, showing his incredible progression and potential.
In the women’s 200m, 20-year-old Tima Godbless secured her spot for Tokyo with a personal best of 22.55 seconds (-0.3 m/s), narrowly missing the World Championships qualifying standard of 22.57.
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Godbless continued her impressive streak with an 11.14-second finish in the 100m, despite battling a stiff headwind (-2.4 m/s). As a sophomore at LSU, she joins Ofili as the second Nigerian woman to qualify for the 200m at the 2025 Championships.
Godbless won a sprint double at the 2023 African U18 and U20 Championships in Athletics in Ndola. Photo Credit:X
Nigeria’s presence was felt across other events in Gainesville. Israel Okon, competing for Auburn University, ran a personal best of 10.07 seconds to finish sixth in the men’s 100m.
Earlier this year, Okon set a new African U-20 record in the 60m with a time of 6.51 seconds, showcasing his growing potential on the international stage.
Meanwhile, Adekalu Fakorede, who led Nigeria’s 100m rankings with a time of 10.11 seconds before the weekend, finished 19th overall with a time of 10.39 seconds.
