Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has unfortunately withdrawn from the highly anticipated Grand Slam Track meet, scheduled to take place in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 4 to 6. The organizers announced that Ofili, along with nine other athletes, would no longer participate in the event due to injuries and unexpected circumstances.
Ofili was initially confirmed to compete in the women’s short sprints category, running the 100m and 200m against top athletes like Olympic medallists Melissa Jefferson, Brittany Brown, and Daryll Neita. However, she has been replaced by Jamaican athlete Jodean Williams.
The Grand Slam Track meet boasts a impressive lineup of 96 athletes, who are contracted to appear in the $12.6m circuit across all four slams. Kyle Merber, Grand Slam Track senior director of racing, stated, “While injuries and unexpected circumstances are out of our control, we’ve chosen to be transparent with fans rather than keep them in the dark.
We are excited that there has been so much interest from athletes to compete in the initial Grand Slam Track event that we have been able to fill the open lanes with such high-quality competitors who will contend for wins.”
The inaugural meet in Kingston will be followed by other slams on May 2-4 in Miramar, Florida; May 30 to June 1 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia; and June 27-29 at UCLA’s Drake Stadium in Los Angeles.
Ofili had opened her 2025 season on a promising note, running 7.26 seconds to win the preliminary round of the Women’s 60m Olympic Development heat at Baton Rouge in Louisiana, United States. She also won the women’s 60m dash with a season-best of 7.26s at the LSU Twilight meet, beating Thelma Davies who came in next with 7.27s.
Despite her withdrawal from the Grand Slam Track meet, Ofili is expected to continue her 2025 season, with fans eagerly awaiting her next appearance on the track.