Chukwuma to battle Fraser-Pyrce, others in bid to become fifth Nigerian to run in 100m final at the World Championships

Rosemary Chukwuma will need a miracle to make history as the fifth Nigerian sprinter after Mary Onyali, Mercy Nku, Damola Osayomi and Blessing Okagbare to
run in the women’s 100m final at the World Athletics Championships.

The 21 year old Commonwealth Games finalist ran 11.24 to qualify for the semifinal as one of the three non-automatic qualifiers and will need to break 11
seconds for the second time in her career to stand a chance of making it to the final.

No Nigerian sprinter has made the final of the event since 2015 in Beijing, China where Okagbare ran 11.02 to finish eighth.

Chukwuma has been draw in the outside lane (9) in the first semifinal heat and will battle five time World 100m champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pyrce, Polish European indoor champion, Ewa Swoboda, Commonwealth Games silver medalist, Daryll Neita of Great Britain and Tamari Davis of the USA for the two automatic slots for the final.