Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has qualified for the women’s 200m semi-finals at the Paris Olympics, winning her heat with a season’s best time of 22.24 seconds.
The 21-year-old’s impressive performance comes after she was controversially excluded from the 100m event due to an administrative error.
Ofili finished ahead of Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and Gambia’s Gina Bass-Bittaye in heat six, recording the second fastest time overall.
Her success marks a strong comeback following the disappointment of missing out on the 100m, a race she had qualified for but was not registered for by Nigerian officials.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Olympic Committee both denied responsibility for the oversight.
Ofili will compete in the semi-finals on Monday, aiming for a place in the final and a potential podium finish.
The sprinter’s resilience has been praised following her strong showing in the 200m heat, which marked her Olympic debut.
