Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has qualified to compete in the Women’s 200 Metre semifinals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris after running a season’s best time of 22.24 seconds. Reigning World Champion Shericka Jackson pulled out of the event as she continues to nurse a hamstring injury.
Ofili won Heat 6 of the Women’s 200 Metres to progress to the semifinals ahead of Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (22.28 seconds) and Gambia’s Gina Bass Bittaye (22.84 seconds).
Louisiana State University product, Ofili, produced her finest run this year despite going into the event hugely disappointed after her name wasn’t submitted to compete in the Women’s 100 Metres despite Ofili qualifying to compete in the event.
St.Lucia’s Julien Alfred won the Women’s 100 Metre Final with a time of 10.72 seconds ahead of Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson.
Alfred won her 200 Metre Heat with a time of 22.41 seconds and has qualified to the semifinals alongside heavy hitters including Gabby Thomas of the United States of America and Daryll Neita of Great Britain.
Ofili broke the disappointing news on social media and added that she had suffered the same fate when Nigerian officials failed to pay for US based Nigerian athletes to be tested in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Failing to do so led to 14 athletes missing out on competing in the COVID hit Olympics.
Scroll down to view Ofili’s post after missing out competing in the 2024 Olympics Women’s 100 Metres.
