Favour Ofili had been on a great run after her victory at the Philadelphia Grand Slam Track in May, where she won the women’s 100m in a wind-assisted 10.92 s (+2.3). That win set the tone for a sizzling streak. On May 17, she lit up the Adidas Atlanta City Games by smashing the women’s 150 m world best with a 15.85 s finish (+2.0 m/s), becoming the first woman to ever go under 16 seconds. Then on June 28 at the ATX Sprint Classic, she clocked a wind-legal 10.87 s (+1.9) in the prelims, a new personal best, before winning the final in a wind-aided 10.78 s (+3.1). But just as she seemed to be peaking, the momentum began to slip!

At the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on July 5, Ofili made her Diamond League debut in the women’s 100m. Despite a stiff–1.5 m/s headwind, she secured a 5th place in 11.09 s, competing against elite sprinters like Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden, Julien Alfred, and Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith. While it was a respectable effort, it’s clear she’s still searching for her footing on American soil, with a breakthrough win continuing to elude her. But just a week later, Ofili had another shot: this time over 200 meters, and against a stacked field in Memphis

On July 12, 2025, in the 200m at the Ed Murphey Classic, McKenzie Long, Favour Ofili, and Olympic medalist Brittany Brown lined up on the track to face off with each other in Memphis, Tennessee. As soon as the bullet crackled through the silence, the three of these track and field speed demons ran fast enough to let the audience and spectators feel like they were in a speed fest. Long was the first to cross the finish line in a time of 21.93 seconds. Following her was the Nigerian Olympic athlete, Favour Ofili, who finished in 22.00s, ahead of Brittany Brown in third in 22.17.

The ATX Classic win, where she beat Gabby Thomas and Kayla White, had already shown she could outperform top Americans. In the 100-meter final, she clocked 10.78 (+3.1) to beat Gabby Thomas, who finished second in 10.95, and Kayla White, who came third in 10.97. All of this while her nationality was debated amid rumors of her transfer.

Favour Ofili’s streak at sight amidst Turkey Talks

The talk of a switch began swirling in late May, and on May 31, journalist Kayon Raynor posted via X: “Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has switched allegiance to Turkey as of May 31, 2025. According to impeccable TVJ News centre sources, 22-year-old Ofili has advised the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation.” The Turkish athletic body has been shopping for athletes this year, including Jamaicans, and reportedly pays as much as $500,000 to foreign athletes to switch allegiance to the European country.

Ofili’s relationship with the athletics body in Nigeria is already strained. Reportedly, she cited missing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the failure of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee to register her for the 100m event at the last games in Paris as some of the biggest reasons why she chose to be a part of the Turkish side. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Ofili finished 6th in the 200 m final with a time of 22.24 s—just off the podium—and broke down in tears in the mixed zone. She has highlighted that her switch does not come from financial reasons. So there’s pressure for her to perform.

Now, with Turkey watching closely and her old federation still looming in the background, the pressure on her to perform has never been higher. And safe to say, her 2025 season has been like that. In early April, she posted a 10.99 s personal best in the 100 m at the LSU Alumni Gold Meet, becoming only the second woman in the world in 2025 to break 11 seconds. Two weeks later, she recorded 22.34 s over 200 m at Gainesville and ran 10.94 s wind-assisted in Miami. Her crown jewel came later, which was the 150 m world record with an electrifying 15.85 s run. With her performances speaking louder than any headlines, all eyes will be on where Favour Ofili goes from here.