Nigerian sprinters Udodi Chudi Onwuzurike and Favour Ofili produced commendable performances at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, the final regular-season meet of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League, staged at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels.
Competing in the men’s 200m, Onwuzurike marked his Diamond League debut with a strong run, clocking 20.27 seconds to finish third in a closely contested race.
The 22-year-old Nigerian was edged out by Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando, who took first place in 20.16 seconds, and USA’s Robert Gregory, who claimed second in 20.19 seconds.
For Onwuzurike, the outing was more than just about placement. It represented a historic milestone in his career and for Nigerian athletics.
The 2021 World U20 champion became the 10th Nigerian athlete to compete in the prestigious one-day series, and only the second Nigerian male sprinter to do so after Divine Oduduru’s appearance in 2019.
The result also has broader implications for his international career. With the final World Rankings for the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships due to be released on Monday, Onwuzurike remains firmly in contention for qualification via the rankings pathway.
His third-place finish in Brussels has significantly boosted his chances of making Nigeria’s team for the championships.
In the women’s 100m, Favour Ofili also held her own against one of the toughest line-ups of the season.
The 21-year-old faced Olympic legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, world champion Sha’Carri Richardson, and USA’s in-form Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
Ofili finished fourth with a time of 11.19 seconds, narrowly behind Fraser-Pryce. Jefferson-Wooden stormed to victory in 10.76 seconds, securing her third win in four meetings against Ofili.
Richardson came second in 11.08 seconds, leveling her head-to-head record with the Nigerian at 1-1, while Britain’s Daryll Neita clocked 11.15 seconds to place third, also evening her personal record against Ofili.
The performances of both Onwuzurike and Ofili highlight Nigeria’s growing presence in global athletics.
With the World Championships in Tokyo fast approaching, their results provide optimism for competitive representation on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
