Nigeria’s hopes for an Olympic medal in Paris were dealt a significant blow as Tobi Amusan, the reigning world champion and world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles, failed to advance to the finals.
The 27-year-old, competing in the first semi-final heat on Friday, placed third with a time of 12.55 seconds, just missing out on a spot in the finals. Amusan finished behind the USA’s Alaysha Johnson (12.39s) and the Bahamas’ Devynne Charlton (12.50s), placing her ninth overall, just outside the top eight qualifiers.
Adding to the disappointment, Nigeria’s Men’s 4x400m relay team was disqualified from the competition following a lane violation in their semifinal heat. The team, consisting of Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Dubem Amene, and Chidi Okezie, had finished second with a time of 2:59.81 and were in strong contention for a medal. However, a referee’s report of a lane infringement dashed their hopes, allowing South Africa to advance to the final in their place.
With these setbacks, Nigeria remains without a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with the games set to conclude on Sunday. The country’s last hope for a medal for Friday rests on Joy Ogbonne Eze, who will compete in the Women’s 71kg Weightlifting Gold Medal Event later this evening.
