As Team Nigeria’s contingent gears up for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, with local training camps in Lagos, Abuja, and Bayelsa, a question looms large: can they finally end the country’s more than two-decade drought of gold medals at the world’s most prestigious sporting event.
Dubbed the 2024 Paris Games, the Olympic Games will run from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
The event will see contingents from 206 nations, including Team Nigeria, who will among others vie for glory in sports like Athletics, Badminton, Wrestling, Canoeing, Football, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, and Taekwondo.
Nigeria’s Quest to Regain Golden Olympic Moments
Nigeria debuted in the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952 and has participated in 17 Games since then, missing only the 1976 Montreal Olympics due to a boycott over apartheid. The nation boasts 27 medals – 13 bronze, 11 silver, and 3 gold medals. However, the last golden triumph came at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Experts believe several factors have contributed to the subsequent drought.
Funding inconsistencies have hampered the development of training facilities and hindered access to top-tier coaching for some athletes. Additionally, injuries to key competitors at crucial moments have also played a role.
Nigeria claimed its first gold medals at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atalanta, USA. Team Nigeria won unprecedentedly two gold medals courtesy of the stunning performance from Long jumper Chioma Ajunwa-Opara and the country’s Under-23 football team with impressive players such as Kano Nwankwo Austin Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Taribo West, and Daniel Amokachi.
How Team Nigeria won its one gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Games rarely happens in the sporting game. The US team had been adorned with the gold medal in the 4x400m relay race. However, eight years later, in 2008, one of the US athletes Antonio Pettigrew was discovered to have used a banned substance in the race. On July 12, 2012, the IOC re-awarded the gold medal to Team Nigeria who had finished in second place.
Team Nigeria’s Training Regimen
In a bid to rewrite history, Team Nigeria has adopted a rigorous training approach. Aside from the local camps focus on intense athletic drills tailored to each sport, training tours abroad have also been pencilled down for some of the sports.
The trainings are overseen by a mix of experienced Nigerian coaches and other specialists brought in to address specific technical gaps.
Dieticians have been enlisted to ensure athletes receive optimal nutrition, and sports psychologists are working with the team to build mental resilience – a crucial factor in high-pressure Olympic competitions.
Hopeful Contenders Beyond Athletics
While athletics has traditionally been a strong suit for Nigeria with the likes of Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume and Favour Ofili all showing great promise ahead of the showdown in Paris, Team Nigeria boasts potential medal contenders across various disciplines.
Wrestler Blessing Oburududu, who clinched a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, is expected to challenge for gold in Paris along with the likes of Odunayo Adekoruoye who missed out on the podium last term also pushing for gold.
Aruna Quadri, a veteran table tennis player currently ranked 17th globally, has his sights also set on a podium finish.
Anticipated Hurdles on the Road to Gold
The road to Olympic gold is never without challenges. Team Nigeria will face stiff competition from established powerhouses like the United States, Jamaica, and Kenya in athletics. Overcoming these rivals will require peak performance and a touch of luck.
Potential injuries and unforeseen circumstances can also derail even the most meticulous preparations. The ability to weather such storms will be a true test of the team’s mettle.
While some feel it is a mere coincidence, many others suggest the gains in Nigeria’s sports sector since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s regime came into power is a product of meticulous planning and deliberate policies.
The President’s first move to make Sports Development a stand-alone ministry is already yielding fruits that sports enthusiasts hope will extend to bringing a golden moment for Nigeria in Paris.
