Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has secured her place in the final of the women's 200m event at the ongoing Paris Olympic Games. She finished second in the semi-final with a season's best time of 22.05 seconds, just behind Julien Alfred, who clocked in at 21.98 seconds.
Ofili's achievement marks a historic milestone as she becomes the first Nigerian since Mary Onyali to qualify for the 200m final at the Olympics. Onyali, who remains the only Nigerian to have reached the podium in this event, set a high standard for future generations, and Ofili's performance continues that legacy.
Meanwhile, in the men’s race, Udodi Onwuzurike will get a second chance to become the fourth Nigerian man to reach the semifinals of the 200m at the Olympics.
After finishing fifth in his opening round heat with a time of 20.55s, he will compete in the Repechage Round, reserved for athletes who failed to secure automatic semifinal spots.
Notably, Divine Oduduru, who reached the semifinals in 2016 and 2021, was the last Nigerian to advance to the semifinals but did not make it to the final.