Ofili Ends 28 Years Jinx, Storms into Paris 2024 200m Final
Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Women's 200m Round 1 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 04, 2024.Favour Ofili of Nigeria crosses the line to win heat 6. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Duro Ikhazuagbe Live in Paris
Sprinter Favour Ofili ended Nigeria’s ‘No Show’ in the women’s 200m event of the Olympic Games as she qualified for the final of the event for the first time in 28 years.
After coming out of the controversy of being omitted from the 100m event she qualified for but was inexplicably left out by Nigerian officials, Ofili ran another Season’s Best of 22.05secs to qualify for Tuesday’s final inside Stade de France.
She finished behind St Lucia 100m Olympic champion, Julien Alfred (21.98), who is chasing a double here.
The last Nigerian woman to qualify for the women’s 200m final was Mary Onyali who picked a bronze medal in the event at the Atlanta 1996 Games.
Going into Tuesday’s final, Ofili is ranked third fastest overall and her medal prospect appears very bright.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel has booked his spot in the semi-finals of the Men’s 400m Hurdles.
He finished second in heat 4 in a time of 48.32s to secure an automatic spot.
Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke won the race in 48.17s, and Wilfried Happio took the last automatic spot in 48.42s
This is the fourth fastest time Ezekiel is running in the 400m Hurdles.
