7 Nigerians Qualify For Tokyo World Athletics Championships

Seven Nigerian athletes have earned their spots to compete in eight events at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

Seven Nigerians have qualified for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Tokyo from September 13 to 21, 2025. It’s expected to be a major sporting event, featuring over 2,000 athletes from around 200 countries. This year’s edition will be the 20th in the history of the Championships and the second time Tokyo will serve as host—the first was back in 1991.

Nigeria will be hoping to secure its first medal at the World Championships since 2022, when Nigerian hurdler, Tobi Amusan made history with her gold medal in Oregon.

The journey to qualification began in 2023. So far, more than 1,000 athletes from across the world have already secured spots. Nigeria’s athletes have impressed with standout performances, earning automatic entries by surpassing the required standards.

Here are the Nigerian athletes who have made the cut for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo:

Tobi Amusan – Women’s 100m Hurdles

Tobi Amusan, who still holds the world record, is set to compete in the 100m hurdles. She’s aiming to win back the title she lost to Danielle Williams.

Amusan qualified on August 7, 2024, during the Paris Olympics by finishing her race in just 12.49 seconds—far better than the standard time of 12.73 seconds. She remains one of the strongest medal hopefuls for Nigeria.

Favour Ofili – Women’s 200m

Favour Ofili secured her place in the 200m event on August 5, 2024, also during the Paris Olympics. Her time of 22.05 seconds was well under the 22.57 seconds standard.

She previously won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and has bounced back strongly after facing some early challenges with Olympic entry.

Ezekiel Nathaniel – Men’s 400m Hurdles

Ezekiel Nathaniel will represent Nigeria in the 400m hurdles. He qualified with a time of 48.38 seconds, beating the required 48.50 seconds.

His steady performances have made him a key figure in Nigeria’s track and field team.

Samuel Ogazi – Men’s 400m

Samuel Ogazi made his mark in the men’s 400m event by clocking 44.41 seconds at the Paris Olympics—well faster than the 44.85 seconds needed to qualify.

His speed and form have confirmed his status as one of Nigeria’s top sprinters.

Ella Onojuvwevwo – Women’s 400m

Ella Onojuvwevwo earned her spot a day after Ogazi’s qualification, finishing her 400m race in 50.59 seconds, just within the 50.75 seconds standard.

Her steady improvement makes her a strong contender in Tokyo.

Tima Godbless – Women’s 200m

At just 20 years old, Tima Godbless qualified in the 200m event on April 18 at the Tom Jones Memorial. Her time of 22.55 seconds was just enough to meet the qualifying mark of 22.57 seconds.

This achievement makes her one of Nigeria’s rising stars to watch out for.

Kayinsola Ajayi – Women’s 100m

A day after Godbless’s qualification, Kayinsola Ajayi secured her place in the 100m with a fast 9.96-second finish. This not only earned her a ticket to Tokyo but also proved the strength of Nigeria’s sprinting team.

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