August 06, (THEWILL) – Nigerian athletes, Ella Onojuvwevwo and Udodi Onwuzurike, have advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s 400m and men’s 200m events respectively, at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The repechage system played a crucial role in their progression. This system gives the best-placed athletes who did not initially qualify from the heats another chance to compete for a spot in the next round. Onojuvwevwo and Onwuzurike both excelled in their respective repechage heats, ensuring their places in the semi-finals.
On Tuesday, Onojuvwevwo earned her spot in the semi-final after winning Heat One of the repechage. She finished ahead of competitors from Poland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Guyana, and India with a time of 50.59 seconds, although this was slightly off her personal best.
Former World Junior champion, Onwuzurike, also progressed to the semi-finals in the men’s 200m. He won Heat One of the repechage rounds with a time of 20.51 seconds, narrowly beating Italy’s Diego Pettorossi, who finished in 20.53 seconds. Nigeria remains hopeful for medals in the long jump, 200 metres, and wrestling events as the country’s athletes continue to progress in the competition.
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.
