Medal Hopefuls!

• Nigeria’s podium prospects at Paris 2024 Olympics

Nigeria will be competing in 11 sports at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which will be held from July 26 to August 11.

No doubt, the country will not be able to win medals in all the events, but hopes are high on the possibility of capitalising on some events and athletes to surpass the six medals the country won in Atlanta in 1996.

From the brightest to the least expected, ABIODUN ADEWALE spotlights Nigeria’s medal prospects  in France

Tobi Amusan (women’s 100m hurdles)

If Nigeria will match or surpass the six medals they won at Atlanta 1996, there is no denying the fact that athletics is the surest event to stack up the medals.

Amusan has the brightest chance of winning a medal among the 35 track and field athletes that will be on parade in Paris.

The 27-year-old finished fourth at the last edition in Tokyo, but she has since then smashed the women’s 100m hurdles world record (12.12s) and also won three consecutive Diamond League titles.

Her rivals in Paris would be the USA’s Nia Ali, Alaysha Johnson, current world champion Danielle Williams, and Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.

Ese Brume (Women’s Long Jump)

Brume has been quiet for most of the season but has won in major events this year, including defending her African Games and African Championships title.

Currently ranked number four in the world, her ability to win a medal at every event she attends is one thing Team Nigeria will be banking on again.

In Tokyo, she delivered a bronze and would be hopeful of upgrading it in Paris.

Eyakpobeyan, Ofili, and Olajide Godless (Women’s 4x100m)

Largely regarded as Nigeria’s strongest relay team this year, the quartet of Justina Eyakpobeyan, Favour Ofili, Olayinka Olajide, and Tima Godless will be joined by Tobi Amusan to chase Nigeria’s first relay medal since 2008.

It’s been a good year for the team, having won the African Games and African Championships this year, as well as qualifying for the Olympics.

Blessing Oborududu (Women’s 68kg Freestyle Wrestling)

After winning Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic medal in wrestling at Tokyo 2021, Oborududu will be back again on the mat this year with the responsibility of winning again while also inspiring the five other wrestlers in Team Nigeria.

Although it doesn’t guarantee anything, Oborududu might be buoyed by the fact that her opponent and gold medalist in Tokyo, USA’s Tamyra Mensah-Stock, won’t be competing in Paris, having signed with WWE in May 2023. The 35-year-old has 13 African titles.

Oduanyo Adekuoroye (Women’s 57 kg Freestyle Wrestling)

All eyes will be on the ‘Dancing Wrestler’ Adekuoroye once again as she hopes to claim the elusive Olympic medal.

The multiple Commonwealth and African champion will hope to finally add the Olympic medal to her collection, having recovered from the heartbreak of Tokyo 2021.

Quadri Aruna (Men’s Table Tennis)

Aruna has been unequivocal about his ambition in Paris, which is to do better than his quarter-final exit at Rio 2016.

Reaching the semi-finals in Paris will be an extra motivation for the 35-year-old to push harder for a podium finish.

It will be the fourth Olympic appearance for the world number 19, having featured in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 editions.

He is the first African player to be ranked in the top 10 in the world, with one Commonwealth Games silver and one gold and silver at the African Games in his kit.

Adam Olaore (Men’s 92 kg Heavyweight Boxing)

Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic medal came from boxing at Tokyo 1964, and the country has won six medals in the event since then, making it Nigeria’s second-strongest competitive event after athletics.

However, the last time a Nigerian won a boxing medal was in 1996, through Duncan Dokiwari, a bronze. If that search will come to an end, UK-based Olaore, who joined the Nigeria boxing team in 2023, looks like the answer.

He has won all the bouts he fought for Nigeria, with the distinction of being the undisputed African heavyweight champion.

Known for his intelligence, confidence, speed, and sharp reflexes, Olaore is poised to make a significant impact in Paris.

Elizabeth Ayanacho (Women’s 67 kg Taekwondo)

Chika Chukwumerije’s bronze at Beijing 2008 proved that Nigeria could win something in events like taekwondo.

That has been the first and the last, but Ayanacho is poised to break the duck with her German exposure.

The 25-year-old will be Nigeria’s sole representative in taekwondo in Paris, making history as the first Nigerian female taekwondo athlete to compete in two Olympic Games.

Anyanacho recently won gold at the African Games in Ghana and the Luxembourg Open and is determined to improve on her performance from Tokyo 2020, where she lost 12-7 to double Olympic medalist and former world champion Nur Tartar of Turkey.

Anuoluwapo Opeyori (badminton)

Four-time African champion, Opeyori, carries the hope of Nigeria in badminton, being the first man from the country to qualify for back-to-back Olympic Games in the event.

Reaching the podium seems like a tall order for him, but in a recent interview with the BBC, the 27-year-old was full of confidence about how far he can go in Paris.

He competed at the Olympics in 2021 in the doubles but didn’t go beyond the first round.

Super Falcons

As far as the Falcons are concerned, Nigerians also have the right to dream. If Randy Waldrum’s ladies can manage to make it out of the tough Group C which has Brazil, Spain and Japan, they have a good chance of winning another football medal for Nigeria.