The Paris 2024 Olympic Games see Team Nigeria poised for potential medal triumphs today. Sprinter Favour Ofili is set to compete in the women’s 200m final, while wrestler Blessing Oborodudu aims for bronze in the women’s 68kg freestyle, according to The Punch.
In securing her spot in the final, Ofili clocked a new season’s best of 22.05s on Monday, finishing second in the first semi-final behind 100m champion Julien Alfred. This performance surpassed her Sunday heats time of 22.24s.
Ofili’s advancement to the final places her as the second Nigerian in track and field finals at the 2024 Olympics, following shot put thrower Chukwuebuka Enekwechi.
At 21, she becomes the first Nigerian woman in 28 years to reach the Olympics’ 200m final. The last Nigerian woman to achieve this was Mary Onyali, who secured bronze during the Atlanta 1996 Games.
Having the third-best time in the semi-finals after Julien Alfred (21.98s) and Gabby Thomas (21.86s), Ofili is set to race in lane three, competing against athletes like Great Britain’s Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith, whom she previously defeated in the heats.
On the other hand, Oborududu encountered a 3-1 loss to Kyrgyzstan’s Meerim Zhumanazarova in the women’s 68kg freestyle wrestling semi-finals on Monday night.
While this defeat dashed her gold ambitions, Oborududu remains in contention for a bronze medal. She is slated to face North Korea’s Pak Sol Gum in the repechage bout for an opportunity to secure her second consecutive Olympic medal.
Oborududu, who won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, notably triumphed with an 8-2 score against Canadian Linda Morais in the quarterfinals.
Her journey to the semi-finals was marked by a standout performance, especially her quarter-final victory over France’s Koumba Larroque.
Despite an initial setback, she emerged victorious with a 6-2 score, showcasing her resilience and skill.