Following the conclusion of the qualification rounds for the women’s 200m, 100m hurdles, the men’s 400m hurdles and shot put, organisers of the Wanda Diamond League have officially confirmed the final standings of Nigerian athletes.
Only Favour Ofili and Tobi Amusan have secured spots in the prestigious final scheduled to take place at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich next weekend.
Ofili, who began her Diamond League campaign at the ninth stop of the 15-leg series, concluded the qualifiers in eighth position in the women’s 200m with a total of 13 points.
While the eighth lane is typically reserved for a wild card entrant—either local or international—Ofili has been granted a place in the final, in accordance with Diamond League regulations.
According to SportsNow.com.ng, Ofili now stands on the brink of history, aiming to become only the second Nigerian athlete, male or female, to win a Diamond League trophy, following in the footsteps of Tobi Amusan.
Amusan, the reigning queen of the 100m hurdles, faced no such uncertainty. Despite finishing fifth in Lausanne with a time of 12.82 seconds, she amassed 27 points overall, securing second place behind Grace Stark, who leads with 35 points.
Amusan will return to the Zurich track where she claimed her first two Diamond League titles, seeking to add a fourth crown to her collection. Her third title came in Eugene, the same venue where she won the world championship and set the world record in 2022.
In the men’s events, Ezekiel and Chukwuebuka fell just short of qualification. Ezekiel, who also launched his Diamond League journey in Eugene, finished ninth in the men’s 400m hurdles standings with 13 points—one spot outside the eight-man final.
Even an eighth-place finish would not have guaranteed entry, as that lane appears to have been reserved for a wild card. Chukwuebuka, a shot put finalist in the previous season, also concluded his campaign with 13 points, placing seventh and missing out on a return to the final.
With only Ofili and Amusan advancing, Nigeria’s hopes rest on their shoulders as they prepare to compete among the world’s elite in Zurich.
