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| Favour Onyah |
Nigerian sprinter Favour Onyah has hinted she may no longer represent the country after being omitted from the athletics team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games despite qualifying at the National Athletics Trials.
The 19-year-old earned her place after winning the women's 400m title at the trials in Lagos, clocking 52.68 seconds. Her performance secured her an invitation to the national training camp in Abuja, which opened on June 25, where she was also listed in Nigeria's women's 4x400m relay squad alongside Patience Okon-George, Ella Onojuvwevwo, and Esther Joseph.
While the rest of the team later travelled to Aberdeen, Scotland, for the final phase of preparations ahead of the Games, Onyah was dropped after the Abuja camp and returned to the United States to resume training.
Reacting to her exclusion, the young sprinter took to TikTok to express her frustration, suggesting she had reached her breaking point after what she described as repeated disappointments.
"Yes, I qualified for my first senior Commonwealth Games. And yes, I won't be running for Nigeria. You can never guess the reason. I already forgave them three times; I don't plan on making it four. You all are free to judge me for the next step I'll be taking. I've had enough," she wrote.
Onyah has been one of Nigeria's standout young athletes in recent years. Earlier this year, she represented the country at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana as part of the women's 4x400m relay team.
She also enjoyed a stellar campaign at the 2025 CAA U-20 African Athletics Championships in Abeokuta, where she won three gold medals. She claimed the women's 400m title in 52.47 seconds, anchored Nigeria to victory in the women's 4x400m relay, and completed a golden treble by helping the country win the mixed 4x400m relay.
Her omission has further intensified criticism of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) over its selection process for the Commonwealth Games. Several athletes who excelled at the National Trials in Lagos have questioned the criteria used in choosing the final squad.
Former Nigerian sprinter and coach Deji Aliu also faulted the federation, warning that inconsistent selection policies undermine athletes' confidence and discourage corporate investment.
"Every serious athletics nation runs on clear, published selection criteria, trials, qualifying marks, rankings and head-to-head results. No ambiguity. Athletes know, 'If I hit this, I'm on the team.' That transparency is what builds trust with the athletes, the public and, most importantly, sponsors," Aliu said.
He added: "Athletes lose faith if selection looks political or is handled through last-minute decisions. Sponsors also walk away. No brand wants to attach its name to a federation that appears chaotic or unfair. Sponsors fund systems, not drama. They want visibility and credibility."