The real reason why Nigeria's Favor Ofili ran in lane 9 during the women's 200m final of the Olympics has been revealed.
Favour Ofili concluded her 200m campaign at the Paris Olympics with a sixth-place finish despite a promising semifinal where she clocked a season-best time of 22.05.
The youngster Ofili couldn't replicate the feat in the final, with the gold medal going to American sprinter Gabby Thomas, while Julie Alfred of Saint Lucia claimed silver.
Ofili's performance fell short of matching the historic achievement of Nigerian legend Mary Onyali, the only Nigerian to win a medal in the 200m at the Olympics.
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Why Nigeria's Favour Ofili placed in lane 9 of the 200M finals
Lane assignment in track and field, particularly sprints, is typically determined by the results of the previous rounds.
02:25 - 07.08.2024
‘I gave it my all’ - Favour Ofili claims she did her best after coming 6th in women’s 200m final
Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has opened up following her loss in the women’s 200m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Athletes who qualify with the fastest times are usually placed in the middle lanes, considered the most advantageous positions.
In Ofili's case, while she qualified for the final, and even though her time was quite impressive, she didn't win her semi-final, finishing in second beyond Julien Alfred.
Running in lane nine can present challenges as it requires sprinters to generate more speed from the start to overcome the disadvantage of being on the outside.
However, it can also be seen as a test of a sprinter's ability to execute a perfect race and overcome obstacles.