Nigeria will have a strong presence at the landmark 50th edition of the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, as five athletes — led by rising stars Favour Ofili and Ezekiel Nathaniel — gear up to compete against the world’s elite at Hayward Field.
Ofili and Nathaniel will mark a significant milestone in their careers as they both make their Diamond League debuts at the prestigious meet, which features 14 world record holders and some of the biggest names in global athletics.
They will compete alongside familiar Nigerian standouts, including 100m hurdles world record holder and three-time Diamond League champion Tobi Amusan, world seventh-ranked shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, and sprint sensation Rosemary Chukwuma.
Nathaniel, fresh off a remarkable 2025 season, captured the NCAA 400m hurdles title in Eugene with a personal best of 47.49s. Earlier this year, he set a new African indoor record in the 400m, clocking 44.74s. His consistent performances across the US collegiate circuit earned him the NCAA Men’s Track Athlete of the Year award. In Eugene, he will face a stacked 400m hurdles field, including Olympic gold medallist Rai Benjamin, world bronze medallist Alison dos Santos, and Qatari standout Abderrahman Samba.
In the women’s 100m, Favour Ofili will feature in one of the most anticipated events of the meet a full rematch of the 2024 Olympic podium. Ofili, known for consistently lowering her personal bests, will line up against Saint Lucia’s Olympic champion Julien Alfred, USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson, and Olympic bronze medallist Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.
Tobi Amusan, the reigning 100m hurdles world record holder, returns to Hayward Field the venue where she stunned the world in 2022 with a blistering 12.12s to set the global mark. She will compete against Olympic champion Masai Russell of the United States and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, who also claimed bronze at Paris 2024.
In the men’s shot put, Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will take on a formidable field that includes American heavyweights Joe Kovacs and Ryan Crouser, as well as Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell. Enekwechi, ranked seventh globally, holds a season’s best of 21.62m and remains Nigeria’s top shot put talent with a lifetime best of 21.91m.
Sprinter Rosemary Chukwuma, a former Youth Olympic champion and 2019 African Games gold medallist, will compete in the women’s 100m invitational. With a personal best of 10.88s, she will test herself against a competitive field featuring Aleia Hobbs, Natasha Morrison, and Jamaica’s Alana Reid.
The Prefontaine Classic, named in honour of American distance running icon Steve Prefontaine, is set to welcome nearly 300 athletes from over 40 nations. This year’s edition boasts 27 professional events, including 17 Diamond League disciplines, and will feature 98 Olympic and Paralympic medallists 48 of whom are gold medallists making it one of the most star-studded single-day track meets in history.
