Ofili Shifts Focus to 200m, Ezekiel Needs a Miracle in 400m Hurdles in Silesia
Favour Ofili appears to have abandoned her bid for a spot in the women’s 100m final at the Diamond League in Zurich next month. She is not listed in the 100m start list for the Memoriał Kamili Skolimowskiej meet in Chorzów, Silesia, on August 16, the 12th stop of the 2025 Diamond League season.
Instead, the 22-year-old Nigerian sprinter will compete in the 200m, marking her second Diamond League appearance this season after debuting at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
Ofili currently sits 17th in the 100m standings with just 4 points, making qualification nearly impossible unless she had secured podium finishes in both Silesia and Brussels.
Her switch to the 200m could be strategic. A win in Silesia and another in Lausanne could earn her 16 points—enough to leapfrog McKenzie Long (11 pts), Jenna Prandini (10 pts), and Jessika Gbai (9 pts), all of whom are currently ranked 3rd to 5th in the 200m standings.
Notably, Long and Gbai are not listed to compete in Silesia, giving Ofili a clearer path to qualification.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel Nathaniel faces a similarly uphill battle in the men’s 400m hurdles. His third-place finish in Eugene earned him 6 points, placing him 15th in the standings. With only Silesia left in the hurdles qualifying series, even a win may not be enough.
His main rivals for the final two qualifying spots—Berke Akçam of Turkey and Trevor Bassitt of the USA—each have 13 points and are also entered in Silesia.
If either finishes eighth or better, they will surpass the 14-point threshold Ezekiel can reach with a win. Unless one of them fails to finish or is disqualified, Ezekiel’s Zurich hopes may be dashed.
