August 04, (THEWILL) – Favour Ofili of Nigeria has won her 200-metre heat at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a season-best time of 22.24 seconds. The 21-year-old Nigerian athlete topped heat 6, qualifying for the semi-finals of the women’s 200m event.
Ofili’s victory came ahead of Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who finished second with a time of 22.28 seconds. Gina Bass-Bittaye of Gambia took third place, clocking 22.84 seconds. Ofili’s performance was particularly notable given the +0.5 wind conditions during the race.
This success in the 200m event follows a disappointing turn of events for Ofili in the 100m competition. Due to an administrative error by Nigerian officials, Ofili was unable to participate in the 100m event despite having qualified. The Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) failed to enter her name for the competition.
The incident has sparked criticism of the Nigerian sports administration, with calls for accountability and improved management. It follows similar issues at previous Olympic Games, where 14 Nigerian athletes were barred from competing due to inadequate testing provisions.
Despite these setbacks, Ofili’s strong performance in the 200m heat demonstrates her resilience and skill. Her progression to the semi-finals keeps Nigerian hopes alive for a medal in the women’s sprint events at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
