New world record holder in the women’s 150m athletics event, Favour Ofili of Nigeria has given plaudits to her coach, Dennis Shaver, for making her feat possible, then disclosed that she is already making plans for the World Athletics Championship in September.
Sports247 reports that Ofili left all mouths agape at the weekend after she ran 15.85 to win the women’s 150m at the 2025 Atlanta City Games, thereby enacting the first-ever sub-16 seconds finish by any female at that distance.
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It was another step forward for Ofili, who has set the African indoor 200m record four times since 2021, but the rising star declared that she is not in a rush to set an outdoor mark as well.
Ofili, who was first trained by Shaver at Louisiana State University, from where she graduated in 2023, stated: “I’m taking it one step at a time. I’m trusting my coach, trusting the programme, each workout. Trusting what he’s telling me to do.
“Left to me, I don’t know anything. So, I just listen to him, and that’s why I’m here. I’m going on forward like that, and a lot of things are in store for me.”
The petite sprinter, who was discovered in Delta State by ex-international athlete, Anne Otutu, after which she was trained by George Obiano in Port Harcourt, recalled the psychological downturn she went through when an administrative lapse by the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) prevented her from running at the last Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Having earlier missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as well due to out-of-training anti-doping regulation blunders committed by the AFN, Ofili admitted the second setback was a huge blow but thanked her mother and friends for helping her overcome the trauma.
Ofili recounted, “It was not something to just wave away. It takes a lot for you to overcome something like that. I had to go through therapy. My confidence was lost, and I had to get it back.
“I must thank my mum. She was hearing the news and seeing her daughter appear everywhere. The recovery takes a lot of time, but I thank God for where I am.”
Ofili, whose progression as the African women’s 200m indoor record holder began on February 27, 2021, with a time of 22.75 in Arkansas, USA, followed by 22 46 in February 2022, is now banking on divine support to again see her to glory at the World Athletics Championship holding from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.
“I’m trusting God with the whole thing. He said at the right time he would do it for me, and I trusted him to actually get me back. I’m not overthinking anymore. I’m trying to get my confidence back little by little, and I know I’ll get there,” said Ofili.
Sports247 reports further that Ofili’s current African 200m indoor record of 22.11 was set in 2023 at a meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a few months after she ran 22.36 at the Tyson Invitational in February 2023.
