Ofili hopes finally dashed as Chukwuma gets Asher-Smith, Swoboda in heat five

Favour Ofili’s hopes of still getting a way into the women’s 100m final was dashed on Friday morning when World Athletics released the start list for the women’s 100m after the conclusion of the preliminary races.

The 21 year old was inexplicably left out of the 100m event by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, despite qualifying for the event by meeting the 11.07 entry standard set for the event as well as winning at the Nigerian Olympic Trials in Benin City in June.

Sports Minister, John Enoh had warned the AFN and the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, to ensure Ofili competes in the events she is qualified to compete but it seems all overtures made to World Athletics failed as the world governing body for the sport insisted the Nigerian sprinter was also entered in the 200m and 4x100m by Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Rosemary Chukwuma has been drawn in lane 5 of heat five of the first round. The Nigerian is expected to be one of the three automatic qualifiers in this heat with Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and Polish woman, Ewa Swoboda.

Chukwuma, with a 10.88 personal season and lifetime best of 10.88 will also be looking to erase Blessing Okagbare’s record as the fastest Nigerian in the opening round of the 100m at the Olympics.

Okagbare ran 10.93 in 2012 in London to supplant Mary Onyali as the fastest Nigerian in the first round of the event.

The second Nigerian in the event, Tima Godbless will be running from three in the seventh heat and will also be seeking to be among the three automatic qualifiers from the heat.

Contesting the semifinal tickets with the 19 year old are reigning African Athletics Championships and African Games champion, Gina Bass of the Gambia,
Rebekka Haase of Germany who holds a season’s best of 11.07 and Swiss girl, Mujinga Kambundji who holds a 10.90 personal season’s best.