Nigeria’s Favour Ofili concluded her 200m campaign at the Paris Olympic Games with a commendable sixth-place finish, clocking a time of 22.24 seconds.
The event, held at the iconic Stade de France, saw American sprinter Gabby Thomas clinch the gold medal with a time of 21.83 seconds, narrowly defeating Julie Alfred, who had earlier captured the gold in the 100m double sprint.
Ofili’s journey to the final was marked by a standout performance in the semifinals, where she recorded a season-best time of 22.05 seconds, finishing second. This achievement had fueled hopes that she might replicate the success of Nigerian athletics legend Mary Onyali, the only Nigerian to have won an Olympic medal in the 200m event.
Starting from the challenging Lane 9, Ofili put forth a valiant effort in the final. However, despite her determination and skill, she was unable to secure a spot on the podium on Tuesday night.
Ofili’s Olympic journey has not been without its challenges. She was previously denied the opportunity to debut at the Tokyo Games and faced an inexplicable exclusion from the 100m event in Paris, both setbacks attributed to errors by Nigerian officials. Nonetheless, Ofili’s participation in the Paris Olympics marks a significant achievement in her career.
As she shifts her focus to the relay events, Ofili will continue to represent Nigeria.
