Another blow for Tanzania in 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s hopes to win medals in the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, France, now rest with four marathon runners after female swimmer Sophia Latiff did not make it into the semifinals.

Sophia competed in the 50 meters freestyle today, August 3, 2024, and finished in eighth position out of eight swimmers.

The heat result saw Jovana Kuljaca of Montenegro placed at the top with 27.19, while Eritrean swimmer Christina Rach placed second with 27.20, and Kennice Aphanie Greene of St. Vincent and the Grenadines placed third with 27.23.

The fourth place went to Georgia Leigh Vele of Papua New Guinea with 27.61, followed by Ionnah Eliane Douillet of Benin who recorded 27.64, and Khema Elizabeth of Seychelles with 28.18. Also on the list was Kaiya Brown of Samoa who recorded 28.31.

Swimmers who qualified for the semifinals include Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden who leads the ranking with 970 points, Katarzyna Wasick of Poland (920 points), Gretchen Walsh (USA, 909 points), Shyna Jack (Australia, 908 points), Meg Harris (Australia, 984 points), Yufei Zhang (China, 890 points), Michelle Coleman (Sweden, 889 points), and Taylor Ruck of Canada who scored 887 points.

Others are Beryl Gastaldello of France who scored 884 points, Julie Kepp Jensen (Denmark, 879 points), Neza Klancar (Slovakia, 879 points), Sarah Curtis (Italy, 876 points), Florine Gaspard (Belgium, 874 points), Anna Hopkin (Great Britain, 871 points), and Valerie Van Roon of the Netherlands who collected 871 points.

Read: Tanzania's hope to win Olympics medals now rest on five athletes

Tanzania now depends on Alphonce Simbu, Gabriel Geay, Magdalena Shauri, and Jackline Sakilu, who will compete in the marathon.

Shauri and Sakilu will compete on August 10, 2024, while Simbu and Geay will compete on August 11, 2024.

Previously, Judoka Andrew Mlugu and swimmer Collins Saliboko were also eliminated from the historic multisport event.