Paris 2024: Azamati and Saminu fall short in men’s 100m final bid

Ghanaian sprinters Benjamin Azamati and Abdul Rasheed Saminu were unable to secure spots in the men's 100metres final at the ongoing Olympic Games in Paris.

Azamati recorded a time of 10.17 seconds in his semi-final heat on Sunday, placing ninth in a race dominated by Jamaica's Oblique Seville, with world champion Noah Lyles finishing second.

Saminu, clocking 10.05 seconds, finished seventh in his semi-final, outpacing Africa's fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, who came in eighth. The heat was won by Kishane Thompson of Jamaica, who set a blistering pace with a time of 9.80 seconds, followed by Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Fred Kerley.

Ghana's quest to reach an Olympic sprint final continues, with the last appearance dating back to Athens 2004 when Aziz Zakari made it to the final.

The men's 100m final, scheduled for 7:50 PM Ghana time, will see a strong contingent from the USA, including Kenny Bednarek (10.87 seconds), Fred Kerley (9.84 seconds), and Noah Lyles (9.81 seconds).

Jamaica's Oblique Seville (9.81 seconds) and Kishane Thompson (9.77 seconds), winners of their respective semi-final heats, will be formidable contenders, aiming to disrupt a potential American dominance.

Defending champion Marcell Jacobs will also be competing to retain his title, alongside Africa's World Championships medalist Letsile Tebogo.