Favour Ofili was overcome with emotion after securing a spot in the 200m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Ofili’s performance on Monday earned her the second automatic qualifying spot, rekindling Nigeria’s hopes for a medal at the Games. She clocked a season-best 22.05 seconds, just behind St Lucia’s Julien Alfred, the 100m champion, who finished in 21.98 seconds. The United States’ Mary Long took third place with 22.30 seconds.
Ofili is the first Nigerian to reach this milestone since Mary Onyali made it to the 200m final at the Atlanta ’96 games. Born in 2002, six years after Onyali’s achievement, Ofili now aims to surpass her compatriot’s bronze-winning run. The final is scheduled for today at 8:40 pm.
Her remarkable race comes after she was excluded from the 100m event due to administrative issues.
In other news, Blessing Oborududu has advanced to the semi-finals of the 68kg women’s freestyle wrestling. Oborududu defeated Canada’s Linda Morais 8-2 in the first round and overcame France’s Koumba Larrouque 6-2 in the quarter-final. She will now face Azerbaijan’s Zhumanazarova Meerim later today.
