Last month, Southeastern Louisiana University junior sprinter Onyah Favour finished her sophomore season after she placed sixth in the Women’s NCAA Division I Outdoor National Championship Semifinal 400-meter dash.
Favour finished the 400-meter dash in 52.39 seconds, achieving the 16th fastest time in the championships. For her efforts, she was named to the 2025 Second Team All-American.
She continues to demonstrate significant improvement, as this wasn’t her first time reaching the championships.
Favour finished in the first round of the Women’s Outdoor Track Nationals at the end of her freshman season to earn her the 2024 Southland Conference Women’s Track and Field Freshman of the Year award.
For her sophomore season, she had to move up the ranks to make it to the first round again.
In April 2025, she ran the 400-meter at the Pelicans Relay in 53.36 seconds, which placed her in the top 40 of Division I sprinters for the outdoor season.
During the LSU Alumni meet, Favour achieved a new personal best in the 400-meter after she crossed the finish line in 52.51 seconds. Her time placed her in the top 20 in the eastern region, qualifying her for the first round of the Outdoor Championships.
Before she headed to the first round, Favour claimed a silver medal in the SLC Championship and out ran the meet record in 52.45 seconds, which was previously set at 52.56 seconds.
For the first round of the NCAA Outdoor Championship, Onyah Favour broke the 400-meter dash school record of 51.83 seconds after she stopped the clock in 51.93 seconds. By breaking the new record set by Christine Amertill in 2000, she qualified for the quarterfinal.
After the quarterfinals, she punched her ticket to the National Championships semifinal after she crossed the finish line in 51.94 seconds.
In an article from Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics, the head coach for the Track and Field and Cross Country teams at SLU, Michael Rheams, expressed his gratitude for Favour after she earned Second Team All-American in the semifinals.
“She overcame major adversity, especially after not feeling well following the [NCAA East First Round] meet, but she continued to fight in her pursuit of greatness. I couldn’t be prouder and more honored to have witnessed her journey,” Rheams said.
This summer, Favour’s busy overseas competing in the U20 African Championships.
Favour won three gold medals with her Nigerian teammates in the 4×400-meter mixed relay at the African Championships, as well as another gold medal in the women’s 4×400-meter relay.
Individually, she won gold in the women’s 400-meter after she finished the race in 52.47 seconds.
Next spring, Favour will start her junior campaign, ready to run it back. She’ll be hoping to win it all.
