By Emmanuel Adeleke
Favour Ofili has broken Blessing Okagbare’s 200 metres national record at the 2022 Tom Jones Memorial Classic.
Okagbare held the 200 metres national record of 22.04 seconds ssince 2018.
Ofili, 19, ran a blistering 21.96 seconds to also emerge the first collegian athlete to ever go sub 22 seconds.
With the time, she also became the first Nigerian to break 22 seconds in the women’s 200 metres.
Ofili powered to world lead time of 21.96s (1.3) to take the women’s 200 metres at the Tom Jones Invitational in Florida, ahead of Kamaya Debose-Epps, who ran 22.81seconds, and Jonah Ross in 22.91seconds.
She has set a new national and NCAA Record. Her time is also the fastest in the world this year, and the fastest ever in the NCAA and a new school record.
Ofili is a Nigerian track and field athlete specialising in the 200 metres and 400 metres sprints.
She is the 2019 African Games silver medalist in the 400 metres. She is also the 2019 African Youth Champion in the 200 and 400 metres.
