At the Paris Games, Nigerians watched to their chagrin as their compatriots raked in medals for their adopted countries. They were Rashidat Adeleke (Ireland), who ran in the women’s 400m alongside another Nigerian-born athlete, Victoria Ohuruogu. On Sunday night, the 2024 Olympic Flame was extinguished thus marking the end of the jamboree tinged with colourful and electrifying traditional and cultural displays by the host nation, France. For about two weeks, the world’s finest sportsmen and women, numbering over 10,000 and representing 206 countries, jostled for honours in the 329 events spread across 32 sports at different venues. Adaku Nwandu competed for Nigeria in the Women’s 50m freestyle and secured the second spot with a time of 26.62 seconds. However, her performance did not qualify her for the semi-finals, as she ranked 34th out of the 79 swimmers across the ten heats in the competition.

Transformation of Nigeria requires leaders of Character – Pat Utomi

As the 2024 Olympic Games continue, a group of exceptional athletes has emerged as the top medal winners so far, showcasing extraordinary performances across various disciplines. The Paris Olympics witnessed the participation of 10,714 athletes drawn from 216 countries, with a total of 1,436 medals won. While the 2028 LA Olympics will include new or returning sports like squash, cricket and flag football, hopes for Kenya outside track and field still rest in individual sports like boxing. Out of 203 countries and one Refugee Olympic Team competing, only 91 (44.8%) earned a medal. In total Africa won 39 medals, up from 37 in Tokyo but fewer than the 45 won in Rio and short of the target of 50 set by the African Union.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles 1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold Medalists

Of these, 14 were in individual events, while four were achieved as part of the Soviet team. Larisa Latynina, a Soviet gymnast, stands as the second most decorated Olympian with an impressive total of 18 medals. From the 300 metres, Egbunike started closing up, and outran Kitur for the gold.

PARIS OLYMPICS AND ENOH’S SONG OF HOPE

“I am sorry to say this but the result could reflect in our performances when the Olympics commence this week. “Nigerians should ensure they support these athletes in every way when the Games starts. “Let’s unite in support of our athletes as they embark on this remarkable journey.

• In the Mixed Doubles, the Chinese duo of Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha claimed gold, continuing China’s dominance in table tennis.
• Through D’Tigress, Nigeria emerged as the first African basketball team, male or female to get to the Quarter finals at the Olympics.
• Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili made a remarkable Olympic debut on Sunday; she secured a spot in the 200m semi-final with a stellar performance, crossing the finish line in 22.24 seconds to claim the top spot.
• It’s quite uncharitable in my opinion to tag Team Nigeria to the Paris 2024 Olympics as failures.
• This streak was maintained in Paris when Rosalind Canter, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen won gold in the Equestrian Team eventing competition on Day three of the Games.
• The win was a proud moment for head coach Rene Wakama, the first coach (male or female) to qualify Nigeria for the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games, especially against a top-ranked team.
• Although he scored only once during the tournament, in a 2-1 group stage loss to Egypt, his contributions were vital to Spain’s overall success.
• In contrast to Nigeria’s uninspiring performance, several athletes of Nigerian descent stood out while representing other countries.

Nigeria at 64: Celebrations in the season of ennui? ( , By Jideofor Adibe

Athletes from 184 countries marched on the Seine in 90 boats, across 3.7 miles, surrounded by dancers and serenaded by singers (French Pop star Aya Nakamura and legendary Celine Dion). There were also fears about security after the attack on targets across Europe and the rising threat of terrorism and extremism. France deployed 75, 000 police officers around Paris, and also got friendly countries to send troops in support. The availability of lottery funding gave bite to long term planning, research and training of athletes and officials. Projections of Britain’s finishing as hosts of London 2012 were between sixth and eighth position. Britain won 29 gold medals and were third on the medals table, 16 years after the Atlanta disaster and everyone, including Russia, attended.

Algeria and Morocco: National Pride

“I am aware that the Sports Federations Elections in Nigeria are even tougher than our National Elections, we must set our standards to scrutinize what motivates those vying to run the federations and get only the best hands. In a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, the minister also promised to address the issues leading to the nation’s failure in France. Nigeria’s Weightlifters at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games will begin the chase for medals on Thursday, August 8th, 2024, when Lawal files out in the Women’s 59kg weight class at the South Paris Arena inside Paris Expo Complex. President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has targeted five medals, but would not give their colours. But the Sports Minister Enoh is now exonerating himself of any blame for Nigeria’s woeful outing, saying he was directly involved in the execution of team Nigeria’s participation at the Games. Enoh also stated that preparations have already started for the next All Africa Games in Egypt with the ministry sole intention to displace North African as the perennial winner of the game.

Ogun State expresses confidence in Local Runners ahead of Abeokuta Race

Omorodion, who still has the option to represent Nigeria in the future, made a significant impact for Spain during the tournament. His victory in Paris adds to his growing reputation as a talented footballer, and his success at the Olympics has made him a player to watch in the coming years. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, several athletes of Nigerian descent made headlines by winning medals while representing other nations. These athletes, with deep connections to Nigeria, chose to compete under the flags of countries like Germany, Bahrain, the United States, France, Great Britain, and Spain. Their remarkable performances not only brought them personal glory but also highlighted the diverse and global nature of talent emerging from Nigeria. The nation’s athletes have secured impressive results, including one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.

• These athletes, along with many others, will be looking to make their mark and secure a place in Olympic history.
• Those who struggled through to the semis in their various events were muscled out by superior and better prepared competitors.
• Though the outing in Paris marks the eighth time Nigeria will finish the Olympic Games without a medal, analysts contend it is the worst ever, given the number of athletes (88) and sports (12) the country participated in at the Paris Games.
• Meanwhile track cyclist Emma Finucane became the first British female athlete to win three medals at the same Games since Mary Rand in Tokyo in 1964.
• Qualifiers for the latter rounds (Q) of all events were decided on a time only basis, therefore positions shown are overall results versus competitors in all heats.
• Although they were knocked out after an loss to USA in the quarter-finals, the team had an undeniably fantastic run at the Olympics.
• D’Tigress were the first female basketball team in Africa to qualify for the Olympics, win a preliminary round and make it to the quarter-finals.
• In the 2022 Winter Games, held in Beijing, the U.S. was third in both the gold-medal count and overall medals, with nine golds and 25 overall.

Adeshina breaks her winning streak in the Olympics High Jump

In the Class 5 category, Bolawa Akingbemisilu came very close to reaching the quarterfinals but lost in a tight five-set match to Brazil’s Lucas Arabian. Kayode Alabi advanced to the quarterfinals after a strong performance in the Round of 16 in Men’s Singles Para-Table Tennis Class 6. He defeated his Romanian opponent, Bobi Simion, 3-1 (16-18, 11-7, 5-11, 9-11) to secure his spot in the last 8. “Let’s work on our facilities here, not embark on a fruitless training tour in a few months to the start of the Olympics.

The Super Falcons gets kicked out of the Olympics

Team Nigeria‘s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics ended in disappointment as the country failed to secure a single medal. Despite significant investments in the team, the 88 athletes across 12 disciplines fell short of the podium, marking the eighth Olympic Games without a medal for Nigeria. Nigeria has abundance of talents and everything it takes to be a key player on the global stage. This is evidenced by the feats recorded by the aforementioned Nigerian athletes who switched their nationalities because of toxic environment and lack of support and motivation. One positive outcome of the post-Sydney probe was the resuscitation of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

• The Honorable Minister being a witness to the two major events in sports, must be reevaluating and sharpening his plans, along with his formidable managers to x-ray the important areas that need priority in sporting events.
• The ensuing games had everyone on the edge of their seats, unveiling a tapestry of unforgettable victories and unexpected turns that captivated audiences worldwide.
• She is also the first female coach of an African team to record a win at the Olympics.
• The 2020 Olympic Games, held in Tokyo in 2021 after a COVID-related delay, were a much more sober affair than most Games due to to the coronavirus pandemic.
• The allegations were quickly debunked by the International Olympic Committee, emphasising that Iman was born a woman; the disinformation was soon traced back to Russian sources.
• Biles took to the platform at the Stade de France to join Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass while musician H.E.R. performed the American national anthem.
• There, the U.S. narrowly edged out China for most gold medals, 39 to 38, but remained comfortably ahead in overall medals, with American athletes taking home 113 medals to second-place China’s 89.
• Phelps, who was acknowledged as the greatest athlete in the 21st century by ESPN, began his Olympic journey at the 2000 Sydney Games and competed in five Olympics.

These are Nigerians who have won gold medals:

As we look ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond, the performances in Paris will undoubtedly influence national sports strategies and inspire the next generation of Olympic athletes around the world. The Olympic Games have long been a testament to human athletic prowess and national pride. The 2024 Paris Olympics were no exception, featuring intense competition, record-breaking performances, and inspiring displays of sportsmanship. As the world watched, certain countries rose to the forefront, dominating the medal tables and capturing the imagination of sports fans worldwide.

Team Nigeria Players

Competing in the Women’s Shot Put F54 category, Rio 2016 GOLD medallist Flora Ugwunwa finished 7th with her best throw of 6.72m. She will return for her main event, the Javelin F54, where she aims to win her third consecutive GOLD medal. Charles Ogundiya, an award winning journalist believes the country needs to invest more in sports to have different results in Los Angeles. The African champions, against expectations, made it to the quarter-finals in the event, beating world number three and five (Australia and Canada) in the group stage.

Global scoresheet

The United States women’s basketball team won their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal with a thrilling victory over France at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Their tight win extended the longest streak of victories in Olympic women’s basketball history. Remarkably, this accomplishment broke the previous record held by the United States men’s basketball team, which won seven consecutive gold medals from 1936 to 1968. China’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics solidified its position as a global sports superpower, tying with the United States for the most gold medals. The Chinese team secured a total of 91 medals, comprising 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze. China has achieved its best Olympic performance since the 2008 Beijing Games.

Australia’s exceptional performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics marked its most successful overseas Games in history. The country secured fourth place in the overall medal table with a total of 53 medals, including 18 gold, 19 silver, and 16 bronze. This outstanding achievement surpassed expectations and set new benchmarks for Australian Olympic success. Kenya’s 100 metre sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala was a gold medal favourite heading to Paris – he’d clocked 10.79 seconds, a time fast enough to win the final.

• Our athletes’ meritorious participation made them the best in the performance index in Africa.
• If the Ministry of Sports Development gets N40 billion today for the 2028, it is not a guarantee that we would win a medal.
• Minister that he doggedly fought for the release of N12 billion that was appropriated to enable the Super Eagles’  participation at the AFCON Games.
• At what will be his final Games, following his announcement of plans to step down next year, IOC President Thomas Bach also urged for a culture of peace in a world marred by conflict.
• The huge sum expended on the nation’s participation has been described as a waste of scarce resources in a country contending with visible, tangible fiscal challenges.
• The tides turned in Nigeria’s favour on Day 5 of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris as Eniola Bolaji won a Bronze medal in the women’s Para Badminton Singles SL3 event by defeating Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna in straight sets, 2-0 (21-9, 21-9).
• According to Japan’s Chef de Mission Mitsugi Ogata, the results demonstrate that Japanese athletes are capable of competing at the highest level and that the country is on the right track in its sports development.

Enefiok Udo-Obong, also known as Enee, is a Nigerian athlete who won two Olympic medals, a gold and a bronze, at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics in the 4 x 400 men’s relay race. Jude Monye, a Nigerian athlete initially won the silver medal in the 4 x 400 meters relay at the 2000 Olympics before it was changed to gold after 12 years. https://big-bet.org/ This Nigerian sprinter won three World Indoor Championship medals, including an Olympic gold 2000 in the 4 x 400 relay, and holds the African indoor record with a personal best time of 44.63 seconds. She won Olympic gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics and became the first black African woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a field event.

US to host next Olympics as 2024 edition ends in France

Novak Djokovic, won the men’s tennis singles final, a gold medal at last at the Olympics, practically fulfilling a dream. Simon Biles who had to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, due to a condition called “twisties” made a remarkable comeback, to win three gold medals and a silver in gymnastics and in the process, became the most decorated gymnast in American history. Suni Lee, a former Olympic all-round champion and US gymnast was diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease in 2023. In Paris, she won gold at the all-round team finals, a bronze in uneven bars and yet another bronze at the all-round competition. Julien Alfred, 23, won the women’s 100 m race to claim St. Lucia’s first Olympics medal.

We must accept this reality in good faith and begin to plan for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. China’s athletes were particularly impressive, winning gold in all categories except for the mixed doubles, where they still secured the top spot​. This victory marks D’Tigress’ first-ever qualification for the Olympic basketball quarter-finals. Nigeria performed brilliantly in the group stage, amassing five classification points and leading the pack, with France set to face Australia later in the day. In a previous report, Legit.ng revealed that Usain Bolt confessed to eating over 1,000 chicken nuggets during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won two gold medals. The NSC will aggregate our sports assets, manage them with a rolling plan that would integrate the various top global events that culminate in the Olympic Games.

The 27-year-old’s throw of 66.41m was significantly below her lifetime best of 71.88m achieved at the beginning of June. This mark also fell well short of the 73.00m qualification standard set by World Athletics for the event. Nemour from Algeria made history as the inaugural African gymnast to claim an Olympic medal by clinching the gold with a mesmerising performance on the uneven bars at the Paris Games on Sunday, captivating the audience at Bercy Arena. According to Britannica, Michael Phelps, often hailed as the “king of medals” in the Olympics, is the most decorated athlete in the Games’ history. During these two and a half weeks, the world’s top athletes will converge to strive for a place in history, seeking to leave their mark and aiming for gold.

Towards achieving that vision, I want us to contribute to the welfare of our athletes. Let’s make our athletes happier, contribute to more happiness in our country, and bring joy among Nigerians. I have learnt great lessons about life and how things may not always go as planned in some instances. This mindset has helped me a great deal and it is the same mindset I want us compatriots to embrace and emulate. This is on the heels of the fact that it wasn’t like the Nigerian team crashed out disgracefully in all the events. There were outstanding performances which did not necessarily result in medals.

Few days after the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games, sports loving Nigerians are still reeling with disappointment following the country’s dismal showing. This came shortly after four Nigerian athletes, Emmanuel Ojeli, Ezekiel Nathanial, Dubem Amene and Chidi Okezie were disqualified from participating in the final of men’s 4x400m for alleged violation of a rule of the competition. President Bola Tinubu’s administration has expressed disappointment and concern over Team Nigeria’s failure to secure a single medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, prompting calls for reforms to improve sports administration in the country.

Carlos Yulo, 24, of the Philippines won two gold medals in men’s floor exercise and vault- the first also for his country. Sifan Hassan became the first athlete in 72 years to win medals in the women’s 5,000, 10, 000 and marathon races; a haul of gold and two bronze medals within the space of five days, with a total distance of 62,195 km covered. History was made in the women’s floor final with the first all-black gymnastics podium ever in the Olympics with Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade (gold), Simon Biles (silver) and Jordan Chiles (bronze). Chiles has reportedly been stripped of the bronze medal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and replaced with Romania’s Anna Barbosa who was upgraded from 4th to 3rd but she remains a most worthy Olympian. Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won Africa’s first ever 200m gold at the Olympics and was the anchor of Botswana’s 4 x 400 relay team which took silver. The Government of Botswana was so excited, the President declared a half-day public holiday in celebration On August 9.

Annette Echikunwoke’s silver medal in the women’s hammer throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics is a testament to her athletic prowess. However, the journey to the podium finish was marked by significant challenges. Born in Ohio to Nigerian parents, Echikunwoke initially aspired to represent Nigeria. Over his four Olympic appearances in the 1980s and ’90s, Lewis won nine gold medals, cementing his status as one of the sport’s greatest athletes.

This outcome marked one of the country’s most disappointing Olympic performances in recent memory. Despite having a strong roster of athletes, the closest Nigeria came to winning a medal was in athletics, where a few athletes made it to the finals but failed to reach the podium. From major stakeholders in the sports sector to politicians and ordinary citizens, it has been consistent and continued condemnation.

The minister vowed to ensure only the best hands are voted in during the forthcoming sports federation elections. The contingent battled administrative lapses and poor technical decisions alongside abysmal performances, a situation Enoh said the country must correct — starting with the federation election — to avert future disaster. However, general secretary of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Tunji Popoola, has predicted a podium finish for the nine-time African champions. Whether you’re a seasoned surf enthusiast or a casual observer, the 2024 Olympic surfing event is set to deliver excitement, drama, and unforgettable moments. Mark your calendars and get ready to watch the world’s best surfers take on one of the most challenging waves on the planet.

“As we go back home we must do everything to prevent future occurrence of the Paris disaster and if this will entail the review of how people are elected to lead our sporting federations, it will be done,” he said. Nigeria will be represented by 88 athletes in 12 sports at the Paris Olympics. Nigeria sent 88 athletes to compete in Paris, but the contingent faced numerous challenges, including administrative lapses and poor technical decisions, which contributed to their underwhelming results. Senator Enoh made this known while addressing newsmen at the MKO National Stadium, Abuja Tuesday on his perception of Nigeria’s record-breaking appearance in Accra, Ghana for the 13th edition of African Games. Nigeria recorded a first swimming medal in 33years, as well as a medal in handball in 21 years and coming second in the overall medal’s table.

In a patriarchal society, Kenya’s women have been in men’s shadows for a long time. However, at the Paris Olympics, Team Kenya’s women won seven medals while the men won four. This is the first time since the country began winning medals at the Olympics in 1964 that women have outshone men. However, these games also revealed issues and developments that need to be debated in order to inform preparations for the next games in Los Angeles in 2028. These include the rise of women runners, fewer returns on men’s distance events and a need to diversify at a development level to meet the growing competitiveness from rival nations. And since Russia was banned for this year’s games, any medals garnered by its few athletes competing as individual neutral athletes won’t be tallied as part of the country’s overall haul.

As Nigerians abroad continue to shine, it is essential to create an enabling environment to nurture talent at home and bring glory to the country. She was set to represent Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but was ruled ineligible. Richardson edged out teammate Melissa Jefferson in the last couple of meters to win Silver in 10.87s, while Jefferson claimed Bronze in 10.92s. Makuachukwu reports politics, business, sports and metro with a year experience on the job. This is the most medals won by the US in a non-boycotted Olympic Games outside of the US, surpassing the previous high of 121 medals won in Rio in 2016.