The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh has commended Kanyinsola Ajayi and Favour Ashe for qualifying for the men's 100m semi final events of the ongoing 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
They gave a good account of themselves in their heats and ensured Nigeria remains represented in the event.
The national champion Kanyinsola Ajayi had on Saturday morning surpassed reigning Olympic Champion Marcell Jacobs with a winning time of 10.02 seconds in heat 5.
Jacobs followed closely with 10.05 seconds, and Abdul Rasheed Saminu finished third in 10.06 seconds.
Favour Ashe placed fourth in heat 4 with a time of 10.16 seconds, following Oblique Seville (9.99s), Hakim Sani Brown (10.02s), and Puripol Boonson (10.13s).
Senator Enoh commended both athletes for rising to the occasion as he charged them to aim for further success as the semifinals and final take place on Sunday evening.
He harped on the importance of maintaining resilience and focus as they compete on the global stage.
Also, Team Nigeria’s 16-year-old swimmer Adaku Nwandu narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Women’s 50m Freestyle final.
She finished second in her heat with a time of 26.62 seconds but did not rank among the 16 fastest times needed to advance.
Senator Enoh congratulated Nwandu on her performance in Paris and expressed confidence in her potential for future achievements.
The Minister also encouraged other Nigerian athletes awaiting their events to strive for qualification from the heats and to aim for podium finishes.
He urged all participants to embody the spirit of resilience and determination, representing Nigeria with pride and excellence at the Games, adding that support and prayers from all Nigerians is important at this time.