By Olaitan Ibrahim
Nigeria’s sprint sensation, Favour Ofili, delivered a breathtaking performance at the Adidas Atlanta City Games, storming to a world record-breaking time of 15.85 seconds in the women’s 150 metres.
With a legal tailwind of 2.0m/s, Ofili became the first woman in history to dip under the 16-second barrier in the rarely-run event, erasing the previous world record of 16.23 seconds set by Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas in 2018.
The record-breaking run not only cements Ofili’s status as one of the world’s top sprinters but also signals a new era in women’s sprinting, as she pushes the boundaries of speed in non-traditional distances.
Ofili’s feat drew rapturous applause from fans and fellow athletes, setting a new benchmark on the road to the Olympics and further establishing Nigeria’s growing dominance on the track.
Ofili, born on December 31, 2002, in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, is a trailblazing sprinter specializing in the 100m and 200m events.
She gained prominence by becoming the first Nigerian woman to break the 22-second barrier in the 200m, clocking 21.96s in 2022, setting both national and African records.
A Louisiana State University alumna, Ofili earned multiple NCAA titles and turned professional with Adidas in 2023.
She represented Nigeria at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing sixth in the 200m final and narrowly missing a medal by 0.04 seconds. Ofili continues to inspire as a symbol of Nigerian excellence on the global track stage.