Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has missed out on a medal in the women’s 200m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The 21-year-old, competing in her first Games, finished sixth with a time of 22.24 seconds. American Gabrielle Thomas took gold in 21.83, followed by Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia (22.08) and Brittany Brown of the USA (22.20).
Ofili had raised hopes after a strong showing in the semi-finals, where she clocked a season’s best of 22.05 to finish second in her heat. However, running from lane nine in the final, she was unable to replicate that form.
Despite the disappointment, Ofili’s achievement in reaching the final is significant. She is the first Nigerian woman to compete in an Olympic 200m final since Mary Onyali won bronze in Atlanta 1996.
A three-time world championship semi-finalist, Ofili has been making steady progress on the international stage. Her performance in Paris, while falling short of the podium, marks her out as a promising talent for future competitions.
The result leaves Nigeria still searching for its first athletics medal of the 2024 Games, with hopes now turning to the remaining track and field events.
