All eyes will be on the Nigerian duo of Favour Ofili and Rosemary Chukwuma when they both clash over the 200m at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic Friday.
Ofili ran her first individual race last weekend at the Razorback Invitational in Arkansas where she sped to a 22.53 finish in the 200m to win the event while Chukwuma ran a yet-to-be-ratified 22.99s new personal best to win at the Red Raider Open in Lubbock, Texas penultimate wekend.
If ratified, the time will make the 22 year old the second Nigerian sprinter to break 23 secods in the half lap.
The two Nigerians will thus be the cynosure of all eyes as they both strive to break new grounds in the event. While Ofili will be seeking to run faster than the 22.46 African record she ran last year, Chukwuma will be hoping to ‘legally’ break 23 seconds in the event.
Ofili will also be in action in the 60m event for the first time this season and the 20 year old is returning to the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuerquerque, New Mexico where she set her 7.17 personal best in the event February last year.
With Chukuma breaking 7.10 (7.09) in the event last weekend, Ofili will be under pressure to become the eighth Nigerian woman to run a sub 7.10 seconds in the event and she will be pushed by Texas’ Julian Alfred who ran 7.02 a forthnight ago.
Another Nigerian, Ezinne Abba will also be in the race but she does not look to be the athlete who will ruffle Ofili and Chukwuma’s feathers.
Meanwhile Ella Onojuvwevwo will be seeking to set new lifetime bests in the 200m and 400m at the meeting. The 17 year old ran 24.11 at the Razorback Invitational last weekend to set a new personal best in the 200m. she also ran 53.57 over the 400m in her first race over the distance indoors to also set a new lifetime best.
Also running at the event but in the 400m is Oghenekaro Brume who is representing University of Texas in El Paso, UTEP.
