Comfort James has once again proven her dominance in middle-distance running, clinching victory in the women’s 800m final at the 2025 Nigerian Athletics Championships.
She clocked 2:06.60 on Saturday at the Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos to defeat Ramat Jimoh and secure her fourth national title in the event.
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Leading the race from start to finish, James maintained her composure to hold off Nigeria’s season leader Jimoh in what served as the national trials for the upcoming 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Speaking exclusively to Sports247 after the race, James expressed her joy at defending her crown despite not hitting her target time:
“I’m really excited that I’ve been able to defend my title. Though the winning time was not what I expected, but in all we give glory to God,” she said.
On the race strategy, she explained:
“In the course of executing the race, I think the first lap was a bit slower than expected, so that affected the whole race.”
James also commended her rivals for keeping the competition tough and engaging:
“Of course, they did a great job. You can’t compete with yourself—you must always have opponents. I would say my fellow competitors did an amazing job and I’m grateful.”
Looking ahead, the reigning champion revealed her long-term ambition:
“In the next two to three years, I want to see myself competing with the very best in the world.”
She ended with a message to fans and potential sponsors:
“They should keep praying for us and hope for the best. As for the corporate world, we’re hoping for more sponsorship. Athletics in Nigeria has really lacked sponsorship, and we hope corporates will look into it and help in sponsoring competitions.”
With this win, Comfort James strengthens her reputation as one of Nigeria’s top middle-distance runners as she shifts her focus to the global stage in Tokyo.
