Paris 2024 Olympics: Chukwuma in 100m semifinal ‘Heat of Death’!

Rosemary Chukwuma will have to equal or run faster than the 10.92 Blessing Okagbare ran in the semifinals of the 100m event at the London Olympics in 2012 to stand a chance of becoming the first Nigerian to run in the Olympic 100m final 12 years.

This is because the 22 year old has been drawn in what appears to be the heat of death as she will battle two of the three fastest women in the event this year, reigning world 100m champion, Shar’Carri Richardson (10.71) and Julien Alfred (10.77) drawn in her semifinal heat, for the two automatic tickets on offer for spots in the final.

Also drawn in the same semifinal heat are two-time Olympic 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica and reigning African Championships and African Games champion, Gina Bass.

Chukwuma will be hoping for a repeat performance of the 10.88 lifetime best she ran in May to set a new mark by a Nigerian woman in the semifinal of the event at the Olympics to put herself in contention for a place in the final either as one of the two automatic qualifiers or one of the two fastest losers.

The Nigerian was not inspiring in the opening heat, escaping a false to qualify for the semifinal in 11.26.