Africa-Press – Liberia. Monrovia- Former Liberian Track Athlete Bill Rogers has praised Joseph Fahnbulleh for advancing as a finalist in the 200m men’s track and field category at the Paris Olympic.
Liberian track and field superstar Fahnbulleh advanced to the men’s 200m final at the Paris Olympics after finishing second in the second semifinal with a time of 20.12 seconds. American sprinter Knighton won the first place in the third semifinal with a time of 20.09 seconds, followed by Fahnbulleh.
Rogers, a former track athlete, represented Liberia in many championships with the current record in the 1500m dash track in 2004 in Benin, Hungary, and Kenya, and proudly waved the national flag.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude and encouragement to our current team in all categories at the ongoing Olympics in Paris. I strongly believe this will be one of the greatest moments in Liberia’s track and field history since 1956 when Liberia started to participate in the Olympic games; we haven’t advanced to the final nor won a single Olympic medal,” he said.
Rogers added: “But today, one of the most celebrated shiny stars has broken the long barriers by advancing as a finalist in the 200m men’s and women’s 100m hurdles, Ebony Morrison. We are celebrating the entire team.”
“I am particularly inspired by young Fahnbulleh’s achievements in athletics. His dedication and hard work have brought pride to our nation, and I firmly believe he has the potential to reach for something better in this game. Lord, please hear us now! Let us all rally behind our athletes, cheering them on as they strive for excellence,” Rogers furthers.
In the 2020 London Olympics, Fahnbulleh was the only African in the men’s 200m final. This year, he is joined by three other Africans. On Monday, August 5, 2024, Fahnbulleh 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 competed again on Wednesday, August 6, in the semifinal, where the top three finishers in each heat advanced to the final.
Hopes are high for a gold medal for Liberia with Fahnbulleh now in the final. In June 2024, Fahnbulleh won the men’s 100m final at the African Championships with a time of 10.13 seconds, upsetting home talent Emmanuel Eseme. 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.
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