Ivorian track legend Marie Josee Ta Lou-Smith acknowledged the current talented pool of Nigerian female sprinters after their record-breaking performances this season.
Africa's fastest woman in history Marie Josee Ta Lou-Smith has hailed the greatness of the current pool of Nigerian female sprinters.
The Ivorian track legend who competed at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League in Eugene, where she clocked 11.05s to finish sixth behind race winner Sha'Carri Richardson, recognised that Nigerian female sprinters are on to greatness.
Her acknowledgment came after an X athletics enthusiast Track and Field Gazette posted about the success of Nigerian female sprinters this season.
14:03 - 05.10.2023
'My sister Shelly won't let me give up on running' - Ta Lou speaks on sismance with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Finding friends turned sisters in a rivalry individual sport as athletics is rare, but not for Marie-Josee Ta Lou and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who have found comfort in each others arms.
Quoting the post, Ta Lou-Smith wrote: "This is GREAT."
Nigerian female sprinters have been on a meteoric climb this season, blazing to record-breaking times, giving a direction that the country is brewing the next generation of Africa's greatest sprinters like Ta Lou-Smith.
Favour Ofili has been top of the ladder so far having recorded wind-aided 100m times of 10.78s and 10.85s, while in the 200m, she has a Season's Best (SB) performance of 22.33s which seals her automatic ticket in Paris.
However, the outstanding performance that led to Ta Lou-Smith's tweet was Rosemary Chukwuma blazing to a blistering 10.88s to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
The Texas Tech University senior not only punched her ticket but her time is the second-fastest by a Nigerian female sprinter in history behind Blessing Okagbare's National Record of 10.79s.
16:28 - 26.05.2024
Enekwechi sets new Nigerian Record, Chukwuma storms to second-fastest time behind Okagbare as Godbless seals Olympic ticket
Nigerian trio were in record-breaking form in their various meets over the weekend.
Louisiana State University freshman Tima Godbless is third on the Nigerian list this season with a PB of 11.03s, African Games breakout sprinter Olayinka Olajide is fourth at 11.19s, and Tobi Amusan completes the top5 list at 11.26s.
The Nigerian women's 4x100m squad have qualified for the Paris Olympic Games and they'll be gunning to fight for a medal ahead of Ta Lou-Smith-inspired Ivorian side.