As Team Nigeria wrapped up its journey at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday without securing any medals, at the 22 sports where it featured 88 athletes, the country however watched with pains as it’s citizen mounted the medal podium to ding the national anthems of other countries
Nigeria’ 88 athletes participated in football, athletics, swimming, boxing, table tennis, cycling, taekwondo, wrestling, basketball, canoeing,
Reflecting on the team’s overall performance, Sports Development Minister John Enoh admitted that the outcome was disappointing. “This performance does not reflect our nation’s capabilities or the efforts we’ve invested,” he stated. Enoh acknowledged the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to sports development but admitted that the
Despite the setbacks, the minister promised reforms to prevent a repeat of this underwhelming showing, emphasizing the need for changes in both personnel and sports institutions.
As Team Nigeria prepares to leave Paris, with many already heading back home, their final appearance at the Games will be during the closing ceremony’s march-past on Sunday—a symbolic end to a challenging Olympic campaign
i**”Ngerians who won medals for other countries amid Nigeria’s drought
However, four athletes of Nigerian descent who represented other countries won medal in their vsrioys sports. They invluded.
SALWA EID NASER (Bahrain)
Nigerian-born athlete won silver for Bahrain in the 400m women’s event at the Olympics. The athlete was formerly known as Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu. She picked up athletics early in Nigeria and performed at the 2013 School Sports in Port Harcourt and the National Youth Games in Ilorin. However, the athlete left Nigeria for Bahrain when she was 15, converted to Islam, and changed her name.
YEMISI OGUNLEYE (Germany)
Ogunleye was born in Germany to a European mother and a Nigerian father. She won gold for the country of her birth in shotput at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the first for the country since Astrid Kumbernuss in 1996. She identifies with the country of her birth and is proud of her Nigerian heritage.
ANNETTE ECHIKUNWOKE (USA)
Ehikunwoke was said to be set to represent Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but was ruled ineligible after the Athletics Federation of Nigeria failed to follow proper steps. She switched allegiance to the United States and won a silver medal in the hammer throw, the first American woman to win a medal in the sport.
SAMUEL OMORODION (Spain)
Omorodion is a Spanish professional footballer of Nigerian descent who plays as a striker. He was part of the Spanish team that won the gold medal in the men’s football tournament. He missed the final match in preparation for his move from Atletico Madrid to Chelsea.