Monrovia – Liberian sprinter Joseph Fahnbulleh has reached the semifinal of the Paris Olympics men’s 200-meter track and field event.
On Monday, August 5, 2024, Fahnbulleh took to the track and won his heat in the first round of the men’s 200m, clocking a time of 20.20 seconds. Italy’s Eseosa Fostine Desalu finished second in 20.26 seconds, and Van Niekerk came third in 20.42 seconds.
Fahnbulleh put on a spectacular performance, coming from behind to claim first place in his heat. He will compete again on Wednesday, August 6, in the semifinal. The top three finishers in each heat will advance to the final.
With Fahnbulleh now in the semifinal, hopes are high for a gold medal for Liberia. In June 2024, Fahnbulleh won the men’s 100m final at the African Championships with a time of 10.13 seconds. The African Games bronze medalist upset home talent Emmanuel Eseme to win the men’s 100m in Douala, Cameroon. Fahnbulleh recently became the men’s 200m African champion and is ranked 11th in the world. In 2021, he made it to the Tokyo Olympics men’s 200m finals and placed fifth.
Meanwhile, Liberia’s men’s 4×100 relay team will race on Thursday, August 8. Newcomers Jabez Reeves (21) and John Sherman (19) will join Matadi and Fahnbulleh for their Olympic debut. Akeem Sirleaf (27), who competed with the team when they qualified at the Bahamas relay, will serve as an alternate due to an injury.
Liberia hasn’t had a relay team qualify for the Olympics since the Sydney Games in 2000. However, Liberia’s first men’s relay team debuted at the 1956 Games in Melbourne, Australia. The organization has yet to produce a women’s relay Olympic team.
Ebony Morrison (29) is competing in her second Olympic Games. She was part of the trio that represented Liberia in Tokyo, where she advanced to the semifinals and holds the women’s 100mH national record. Morrison is the 2024 women’s 100-meter hurdles African champion and will compete in this event on Wednesday, August 7. In addition to being a well-decorated hurdler, Morrison also won a bronze medal at the African Championships as a member of the women’s 4x100m relay team.
Emmanuel Matadi reached the semifinal of the men’s 100m Olympic event but did not advance further after running 10.18 seconds and placing eighth in heat 2 of the semifinal. He ended his solo season as the men’s 100m national record holder (9.91) and will compete in the men’s 4×100 relay on Thursday, August 8.
In 2021, Thelma Davies tweeted about her dream to become an Olympian, and in 2024 it became her reality. Unfortunately, her track season ended with an injury. “Due to the medical report on Thelma’s injury (severe hamstring tear), she was withdrawn from the Women’s 200m,” said Coach Sayon Cooper.
Monrovia – Liberian sprinter Joseph Fahnbulleh has reached the semifinal of the Paris Olympics men’s 200-meter track and field event.
On Monday, August 5, 2024, Fahnbulleh took to the track and won his heat in the first round of the men’s 200m, clocking a time of 20.20 seconds. Italy’s Eseosa Fostine Desalu finished second in 20.26 seconds, and Van Niekerk came third in 20.42 seconds.
Fahnbulleh put on a spectacular performance, coming from behind to claim first place in his heat. He will compete again on Wednesday, August 6, in the semifinal. The top three finishers in each heat will advance to the final.
With Fahnbulleh now in the semifinal, hopes are high for a gold medal for Liberia. In June 2024, Fahnbulleh won the men’s 100m final at the African Championships with a time of 10.13 seconds. The African Games bronze medalist upset home talent Emmanuel Eseme to win the men’s 100m in Douala, Cameroon. Fahnbulleh recently
became the men’s 200m African champion and is ranked 11th in the world. In 2021, he made it to the Tokyo Olympics men’s 200m finals and placed fifth.
Meanwhile, Liberia’s men’s 4×100 relay team will race on Thursday, August 8. Newcomers Jabez Reeves (21) and John Sherman (19) will join Matadi and Fahnbulleh for their Olympic debut. Akeem Sirleaf (27), who competed with the team when they qualified at the Bahamas relay, will serve as an alternate due to an injury.
Liberia hasn’t had a relay team qualify for the Olympics since the Sydney Games in 2000. However, Liberia’s first men’s relay team debuted at the 1956 Games in Melbourne, Australia. The organization has yet to produce a women’s relay Olympic team.
Ebony Morrison (29) is competing in her second Olympic Games. She was part of the trio that represented Liberia in Tokyo, where she advanced to the semifinals and holds the women’s 100mH national record. Morrison is the 2024 women’s 100-meter hurdles African champion and will compete in this event on Wednesday, August 7. In addition to being a well-decorated hurdler, Morrison also won a bronze medal at the African Championships as a member of the women’s 4x100m relay team.
Emmanuel Matadi reached the semifinal of the men’s 100m Olympic event but did not advance further after running 10.18 seconds and placing eighth in heat 2 of the semifinal. He ended his solo season as the men’s 100m national record holder (9.91) and will compete in the men’s 4×100 relay on Thursday, August 8.
In 2021, Thelma Davies tweeted about her dream to become an Olympian, and in 2024 it became her reality. Unfortunately, her track season ended with an injury. “Due to the medical report on Thelma’s injury (severe hamstring tear), she was withdrawn from the Women’s 200m,” said Coach Sayon Cooper.
