Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has clinched a spot in the final of the women’s 200m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
On Monday, August 5, 2024, Favour Ofili finished second in her semifinal with a season’s best time of 22.05 seconds, narrowly behind Julien Alfred, who won the race with a time of 21.98 seconds.
Ofili’s performance is historic as she becomes the first Nigerian since Mary Onyali to qualify for the 200m final at the Olympics.
Mary Onyali remains the only Nigerian to have secured a medal in this event, setting a high standard for future athletes.
In the men’s 200m race, Udodi Onwuzurike has a chance to become the fourth Nigerian man to reach the semifinals of the event at the Olympics.
After finishing fifth in his opening heat with a time of 20.55 seconds, Onwuzurike will compete in the Repechage Round, which is for athletes who did not secure automatic semifinal spots.
Divine Oduduru, who reached the semifinals in 2016 and 2021, was the last Nigerian to advance to the semifinals but did not progress to the final.
