Nigeria’s teen sprint sensation, Favour Ofili, has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, stating that she’s going there to win, The PUNCH reports.
The 19-year-old broke the U.S. collegiate record in the 200m April 15, running 21.96secs, a Nigerian record and the second-fastest ever by an African.
In the 100m, Ofili also recorded two sub-11-second times in one week – a wind-aided 10.90secs and a personal best 10.93secs in April 2022 – moving her to third on the all-time list of her country.
On the back of her recent triumphs, Ofili has been tipped as one of Team Nigeria’s medal hopefuls at the championships.
“We (African sprinters) now believe in ourselves. We now believe that anything is possible,” she told Olympics.com.
“My mandate is to go there and win regardless of what happens. Run each heat, semi-finals fast and advance. Once you get to the final anything can happen. I am going there to win.”
The effervescent Ofili is easily bearing the weight of expectations at Hayward Field and is full of hope that a final is achievable in Oregon.
“I am excited to go back to Eugene (after the NCAA finals). I have run there already but I feel that I still have to do something there. Running with the best people will be a great privilege,” she said.
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