Amusan, Enekwechi on Course for Diamond League Final as Ofili, Ezekiel Face Elimination
As the Wanda Diamond League 2025 season approaches its climax, Nigeria’s elite track and field athletes are making final pushes for qualification to the prestigious Diamond League Final scheduled to take place in Zurich on August 27–28.
While seasoned stars Tobi Amusan and Chukwuebuka Enekwechi remain firmly in contention, newcomers Favour Ofili and Nathaniel Ezekiel are facing uphill battles with only two qualifying meets remaining.
Tobi Amusan, the 100m hurdles world record holder and one of Nigeria’s most decorated athletes, is currently positioned second in the Diamond League standings with 17 points. She trails only Grace Stark, who leads the rankings with 21 points.
Amusan will need a top-three finish in either of the final qualifiers in Silesia (August 16) or Brussels (August 23) to book her place in the Zurich Final. The 28-year-old track sensation made history in 2023 by securing her third consecutive Diamond Trophy, becoming only the second woman in Diamond League history to achieve such a feat.
Her quest for a fourth title remains one of the season’s most anticipated narratives, especially after missing the 2024 final due to an early Olympic exit.
Meanwhile, African shot put champion Chukwuebuka Enekwechi is holding the sixth and final qualifying spot with nine points. Enekwechi, who finished fifth at last year’s final in Brussels with a throw of 21.29m, remains on course for Zurich.
A top-five finish in the remaining two qualifying meets would likely ensure his return to the final.
In contrast, emerging athletes Favour Ofili and Nathaniel Ezekiel are clinging to slim hopes of qualification.
Ofili currently sits 17th in the women’s 100m standings with just 4 points, earned through a fifth-place finish in her Diamond League debut in Eugene. To have a chance at qualification, she would need to place second in both Silesia and Brussels.
Ezekiel, who competes in the 400m hurdles, faces a similar situation. His third-place finish in Eugene earned him 6 points and placed him 15th in the overall standings.
With only the Silesia meet left in the hurdles qualifying series, Ezekiel must not only win the event but also hope top contenders Trevor Bassitt (13 points), Berke Akçam (13 points), and C.J. Allen (11 points) do not compete.
As the road to Zurich narrows, Nigeria’s track and field stars will look to seize their remaining opportunities. Amusan and Enekwechi carry the hopes of returning to the Diamond League Final, while Ofili and Ezekiel may rely on extraordinary performances or wildcard entries to join them.
With just three meetings to go, only 64 athletes, globally, have so far secured qualification and there is still plenty to fight for on the Road to the Final.
