Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has advanced to the semifinals of the women's 200m at the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning her heat with a time of 22.24 seconds. Despite missing out on the 100m due to administrative issues, she has garnered significant support and excitement from Nigerian fans.
Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 200m at the Paris 2024 Olympics, showcasing an impressive performance in heat 6. Ofili, affectionately dubbed "Star Girl," clocked a time of 22.24 seconds, securing first place in her heat. She outpaced Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith, who finished second with a time of 22.28 seconds, and Gina Bass-Bittaye of The Gambia, who came in third at 22.84 seconds.
Nigerians have erupted in celebration over Ofili's achievement, with many expressing their excitement and confidence in her potential to secure a medal. Social media reactions highlight the national pride in her performance. Fans praised her for overcoming what they see as a challenging race and lamented the missed opportunity in the 100m event due to administrative issues. Many took to Twitter to celebrate her progress and expressed frustration at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) for the oversight in registering her for the 100m.
One Twitter user commented, “Star Girl…
they couldn’t stop her shine at the Olympics. We fumbled that 100M.” Another noted, “Second fastest qualifying time, amazing from Star Girl 
.” Overall, there is a strong sentiment of support for Ofili, coupled with disappointment over the earlier administrative errors.
