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The number of Nigerian athletes who have secured qualification marks for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is growing by the day with a new addition in sprint sensation Favour Ofili.
Ofili booked an Olympics spot following her industrious act at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic on Friday at the James G. Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, Florida.
This latest feat earns Ofilli a second chance to compete at the Olympics having been denied an opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 sporting event where she was disqualified by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) alongside a handful of other Nigerian athletes.
Ofili, an African record holder, finished her 200m race within 22.33 seconds to beat the Olympic benchmark of 22.57 seconds to grab the Paris 2024 ticket.
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This is Ofili’s overall fastest time in all competitions this season after her stunning 10.85s (+2.6m/s) at the Battle of the Bayou a fortnight ago.
Other athletes Anavia Battle who finished second with a time of 22.56s, and Ida Karstoft who followed through in third place with a National Record (NR) and PB of 22.60s finished behind Ofili.
The four-year wait is over
Ofili 21, will hopefully be having her dream come true this time after her first chance at the Olympics was marred by her disqualifiction alongside nine other athletes over doping infractions.
PREMIUM TIMES in 2021 reported reasons for the disqualification of Ofili, who was 18 at the time, and other athletes weeks before the Olympics began in Tokyo.
READ ALSO: 10 nigerian athletes banned from tokyo olympics.
According to the AIU in 2021, Ofili and her counterparts were declared ineligible to compete due to their failures to meet the minimum testing requirements under Rule 15 of the AIU.
Ofili’s qualification sees her joining her compatriots like women’s 100m hurdles record holder, Tobi Amusan, Ezekiel Nathaniel (men’s 400m hurdles), Edose Ibadin (men’s 800m), Ruth Usoro (Triple and Long Jump), Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (shotput) and Favour Ashe (100m) who have all automatically qualified for the Olympics.
Here is Favour Ofili's stunning season opener of 10.85s (2.6) at the Battle on the Bayou!
She had to come from behind to grab the win from Brianna Lyston.🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/RuImO275u7
— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) March 30, 2024
Ofili, who just bounced back from an injury with a season opener at the Battle of Bayou grabbing the win from Brianna Lyston would be one of Nigeria’s poster girls in the 100m and 200m race.
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