Cindy Sember

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Cindy Sember
Cindy Ofili, Beijing 2015.JPG
Ofili at the 2015 World Championships
Personal information
Birth nameCynthia Nonyelum Ofili
NationalityBritish, American
Born (1994-08-05) 5 August 1994 (age 27)
Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
Sport
CountryUnited Kingdom
SportTrack and field
Event(s)60 metres hurdles
100 metres hurdles
60 metres
200 metres
College teamUniversity of Michigan
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)12.60 (100 m hurdles)
7.89i (60 m hurdles)
hide
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Silver medal – second place 2021 Torun 60m hurdles

Cynthia Nonyelum Sember (née Ofili; born 5 August 1994) is an American-born British track and field athlete, specialising in sprint hurdles. She finished fourth in the 100 metres hurdles final at the 2016 Olympic Games. Her best times, 12.60 secs for the 100 metres hurdles in 2015, and 7.89 secs for the 60 metres hurdles indoors in 2016, rank her third on the British all-time list for both events behind her sister and British record-holder, Tiffany Porter and Olympic champion heptathlete, Jessica Ennis-Hill.

Biography[]

Ofili is a native of Ypsilanti, Michigan, and the younger sister of fellow hurdler Tiffany Porter (née Ofili); as her mother is British and her dad-Nigerian, she was born with both American, Nigerian, and British citizenship.[1][2] In 2014, her sophomore year at the University of Michigan, Ofili qualified for the 60 m hurdles final at the NCAA indoor championships, placing sixth in a personal best 8.07; outdoors, she broke 13 seconds in the 100 m hurdles for the first time, winning the Big Ten conference championship in 12.93.[3] In addition to hurdling, she competed in the sprints, setting Michigan indoor school records at both 60 metres (7.37) and 200 metres (23.69).[4]

Ofili's times improved in 2015, and she became a leading collegiate hurdler;[5] at the NCAA outdoor championships in Eugene she placed second in a personal best 12.60, losing only to Keni Harrison of Kentucky.[6] She also qualified for the NCAA championship meet in the flat 100 m, but despite running a school record 11.39 she was eliminated in the semi-finals in that event.[3][4]

Ofili could have chosen to internationally represent either the United States, Great Britain or Nigeria (her father's country of origin); in June 2015 it was announced that she had selected Britain, following her older sister Tiffany Porter.[1] The move caused some controversy in Britain, with detractors labeling Ofili a "plastic Brit";[who?][citation needed] Ofili, who unlike her sister had not represented the United States as a junior, stated she felt British.[7] At the 2015 British championships Ofili placed second to Porter in 12.96, qualifying to represent Britain later that summer at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing.[2][8]

Ofili finished fourth in the 100m hurdles final at the 2016 Rio Olympics, in 12.63 secs.

She became a double British champion when successfully defending her title and winning the 100 metres hurdles event at the 2020 British Athletics Championships in a time of 13.16 sec.[9]

Sember began competing under her married name of Cindy Sember from the 2021 season onwards.

International competitions[]

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Great Britain
2015 World Championships Beijing, China 13th (sf) 100 m hurdles 12.91
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 4th 100 m hurdles 12.63
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar 15th (sf) 100 m hurdles 12.95
2021 European Indoor Championships Torun, Poland 2nd 60 m hurdles 7.87
(sf) Indicates overall position in semifinals

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Cindy Ofili and Zharnel Hughes have GB allegiance confirmed". Athletics Weekly. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Tiffany Porter and Cindy Ofili secure GB places at world championships". The Guardian. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Cindy Sember at Tilastopaja (registration required)
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "Cindy Ofili Bio". mgoblue.com. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  5. ^ Jennings, Chantel (10 June 2015). "Michigan Hurdler Cindy Ofili Emerges From Her Star Sister's Shadow". ESPN. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  6. ^ Minshull, Phil (14 June 2015). "Little wins NCAA 400m hurdles in world-leading 53.74". International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  7. ^ Bloom, Ben (2 July 2015). "Cindy Ofili insists she feels British despite being US-born". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Ennis-Hill named in British team for IAAF World Championships, Beijing 2015". International Association of Athletics Federations. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Results list". British Athletics.

External links[]

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