However, Antonio Pettigrew, who admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, was stripped of his medal. The Olympics are underway in Paris, and there are many exciting events as countries battle for gold, silver, and bronze. This is among many other athletes and sports personnel who have earned one or more medals. Running phenom Noah Lyles narrowly notched the gold in a photo finish to the 100 meters, and Cole Hocker pulled off a stunning upset to give the U.S. a gold in the 1500 meters, coming from behind to beat the two favorites in the field.
- Guatemala’s Adriana Ruano Oliva won her country’s first-ever gold medal in any sport for the women’s shooting event at the Paris Olympics.
- Surfing at the Paris Olympics 2024 promises to be a spectacular event, combining the raw power of nature with the skill and athleticism of the world’s best surfers.
- The minister of sports development, Senator John Owan-Enoh, has admitted that Nigeria’s performance at the just concluded Paris 2024 Olympics in France fell short of his expectation, saying he expected the athletes to win several medals..
- 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.
- The Government of Botswana was so excited, the President declared a half-day public holiday in celebration On August 9.
- 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.
- In the Mixed Doubles, the Chinese duo of Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha claimed gold, continuing China’s dominance in table tennis.
- 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.
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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.
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Muzala Samukonga broke his own 400m national record en route to a first Olympic medal for Zambia since 1996. These victories contribute to the rich sports culture in both countries, encouraging future generations to pursue excellence in athletics. The women’s 4x100m final is set to be star-studded led by America’s Sha’Carri Richardson and defending champions Jamaica who made it without star Shericka Jackson. Uganda has made a significant impact with two medals, comprising one gold and one silver. Omorodion’s success highlights the talent and potential of Nigerian athletes in the diaspora.
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- Her impressive throw of 20.00m secured a historic victory, marking Germany’s first win in the event since Astrid Kumbernuss in 1996.
- Towards achieving that vision, I want us to contribute to the welfare of our athletes.
- Ikeoluwa Ogungbangbe, with her four-year tenure as a writer, fervently champions early leadership ideals.
- “This result is an exceptional result,” Claude Onesta, High Performance Manager at the French National Sports Agency, told a news conference on Sunday as France finished fifth in the medals table.
- Respected sports journalist, Dr. Mumini Alao believes that, “Nigerian sports is grossly underfunded which is a reflection of our poor economy.
His contributions on the field were instrumental in helping France reach the final, and his performance throughout the tournament demonstrated his talent and potential. Salwa Eid Naser, originally born as Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu in Nigeria, represented Bahrain in the women’s 400 meters. Naser, who switched her allegiance to Bahrain in 2014, has been a dominant force in track and field for several years. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she claimed the silver medal in the 400 meters, adding to her impressive collection of international medals. Her success in Paris once again highlighted her status as one of the top sprinters in the world. Simone Biles, who won three gold medals and one silver, had the honor of waving the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 11th.
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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.
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Respected sports journalist, Dr. Mumini Alao believes that, “Nigerian sports is grossly underfunded which is a reflection of our poor economy. Since 1968, a Kalenjin male runner has won gold for Kenya at every Olympics. Instead, Emmanuel Wanyonyi from the Bukusu sub-ethnic group of the Luhya (traditionally better known for producing football, rugby, basketball and volleyball players) emerged as the sole Kenyan men’s gold medallist. The 20-year-old won the 800 metres, maintaining the country’s stranglehold on that event ever since the 2008 games.
- The country secured fourth place in the overall medal table with a total of 53 medals, including 18 gold, 19 silver, and 16 bronze.
- While her achievement is undoubtedly a cause for celebration, it also serves as a stark reminder of the missed opportunities for Nigeria due to administrative shortcomings.
- Briefly after the briefing, I asked the president of the Athletics Federation Nigeria (AFN) what our medal projections are and the basis for the projections.
- Few days after the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games, sports loving Nigerians are still reeling with disappointment following the country’s dismal showing.
- Through sports, such leanings and similar banal segmentations are usually shoved aside.
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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 U.S. women’s basketball team secured Team USA’s final gold medal by edging host nation France in a thrilling match that came down to the last shot. Guatemala’s Adriana Ruano Oliva won her country’s first-ever gold medal in any sport for the women’s shooting event at the Paris Olympics. Tobi Amusan successfully defended her 100-meter hurdles title to become the first high hurdle to win three strong gold medals in the history of the Games.
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In the semifinals, Alfred was seeded in Heat 2 along with Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and World 100m Champion Sha’Carri Richardson. However, Fraser Pryce withdrew due to injury, leaving Alfred to go head-to-head with Richardson. Global superstar Celine Dion made an inspirational and emotional comeback during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, following a lengthy battle with stiff person syndrome. She delivered an outstanding performance against the iconic backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, singing “Hymne à l’Amour” (Hymn to Love). The song’s moving lyrics perfectly reflected the Olympic Games’ spirit of unity, love, and celebration. The 22-year-old Hodgkinson, who won silver in Tokyo 2020, sprinted out to an early lead.
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These achievements serve as motivation not just for the athletes but for their countries as well, inspiring a new generation of sports enthusiasts. South African athletes have showcased their versatility, competing strongly in various disciplines, reflecting the depth of talent across the nation. The achievements of these athletes underscore the need for investment in sports infrastructure and development programs in Nigeria. Chioma Ajunwa-Opara, also known as Chioma Ajunwa, is a Nigerian former track and field athlete and football player. The Saint Lucian hit second gear, powering through the finish line in a new National Record (NR) and Personal Best (PB) of 10.72s, winning her country’s first Olympic medal of any colour. Australia’s swimming prowess is evident with Mollie O’Callaghan claiming 3 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze, while Kaylee McKeown and Ariarne Titmus have both secured impressive medal hauls.
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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.
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Although clothing his actions in cautiousness, he is steady in his observations and delivery, having taught different categories of pupils that are technically gifted. Senator Enoh is careful not to misinterprete each individual’s placement but wants to manage every capability of men, including his immediate staff for optimum results. Nigeria, actually like all other nations in the Olympic family, is focusing on that global fiesta to have an emphatic outing and to secure a prominent position on the Medals Table of Honour.
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The end of the Games also mark a new beginning even where the officials were re-elected. They would be the top group for 2028, but already part of the Olympic team for 2032 and beyond. New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche took silver with a throw of 19.86m, while China’s Song Jiayuan claimed bronze with a distance of 19.32m. Olympic champion Noah Lyles opened up on the motivating factor behind his Paris Olympic success, which solely boiled down to stopping Jamaican dominance. Saint Lucia’s golden girl Julien Alfred had one of the greatest rookie year in history after sweeping all titles available in the 2024 season.
What we have with the Ministry are civil servants who take decisions for sports without adequate knowledge of what they manage. Sports management is blighted by lack of competence which in turn drives gross mis-management that affect the federations with the Nigeria Olympic Committee at the apex of the obtuse arrangement. The remnants of Seoul, and athletes who had matured from the American school system, helped. The sports programmes at home were stronger and also had funding, administrations was better than today. Daniel arap Moi, Kenyan President told Egbunike during the medal ceremony, “This Innocent is not innocent”. Back to the calls with Ugbisien, we joked about the $12,000 scholarship he has been owed since the spectacular victory in the 4×400m relay that keep spectators at Kasarani Stadium, outside Nairobi, on their feet.
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Fans can expect a mix of intense competition and breathtaking displays of athleticism. The event will be broadcasted globally, allowing viewers to experience the thrills and spills of Olympic surfing from the comfort of their homes. The idea of always starting all over again won’t help the country,” he stated.
With the ghost of the 2012 London Olympics, where Nigeria failed to win any medal staring the nation in Paris, the anger, complaints, and negative exertions of people was understandable. The medal tally of these Diaspora athletes is almost at par with the country’s best-ever outing at the Olympic Games when Nigeria won two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. The success of these nations at the 2024 Paris Olympics not only celebrates their current achievements but also sets the stage for future competitions.
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 https://big-bet.org/ 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.
The Paris Olympics saw the curtain come down on the illustrious career of distance runner Eliud Kipchoge. After he won 5,000 metres bronze in 2004, 5,000 metres silver in 2008 and marathon gold in 2016 and 2020, a prospect for another gold in 2024 looked too enticing to pass over. But, while Kenya performed better in Paris than in Tokyo in 2020 (where they placed 19th with ten medals) they also performed worse than in Rio in 2016 (finishing 15th with 13 medals). 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. Despite being within the weight limit on the initial day, where she won all three matches, she was disqualified from the final and stripped of her chance to compete.
- Norway topped the count with 16 golds and 37 total medals, followed by Germany in both gold medals, with 12, and overall medals, with 27.
- She even competed and won at the Nigerian Youth Games where her potential was undeniable.
- The 2024 Paris Olympics opened on the 26th of July with a magnificent ceremony that saw thousands of athletes ready to battle over two weeks for world dominance.
- Great Britain were assured of a quota in the men’s event when the reigning Olympic champion Tom Pidcock won the gold medal at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
- A host of athletics stars were present at the wedding ceremony of British 400m record holder Matthew Hudson-Smith in Birmingham, including Noah Lyles and his girlfriend Junelle Bromfield.
- Born from an unwavering commitment to the nation’s progress, we stand as an emblem of independent journalism dedicated to serving the interests of progressive Nigerians from every corner of our diverse and vibrant country.
- Their participation alone in the global arena is an experience that many of the athletes would cherish and improve upon.
From winning gold in shot put to securing silver in the 400 meters and hammer throw, and achieving victory in men’s football, these athletes demonstrated exceptional skill and determination. They upheld a legacy of Nigerian excellence on the global stage, even as they competed for countries other than Nigeria. More worrisome was that some athletes of Nigerian descent competed for other countries. These included those who changed nationalities due to the arbitrary, nepotistic, and capricious attitudes of some Nigerian officials and managers. Watching helplessly as they won medals for their adopted nations triggered psychological discomfort, even emotional torture. Annette Echikunwoke won silver medal for USA in Hammer Throw after being frustrated and chased out of Nigeria by some overzealous officials at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, (AFN).
From reports, Team Nigeria’s camp was thrown into a “mourning mode” just as the country’s fraternity of human kinetics in and around Paris, as well as here at home. Over the years, it has become the only unifying capital for a country that is divided along ethnic, tribal, and religious considerations. Through sports, such leanings and similar banal segmentations are usually shoved aside.
Emeritus sportsmen and women, coaches, sports administrators and public analysts are presently engaged in diatribes about the global event. 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 question should be around if some participants at the event learnt a thing or two at that global meet.
Adding to the list of Olympic legends, Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi earned nine gold and three silver medals, and American swimmer Mark Spitz secured nine gold, one silver, and one bronze. Her collection includes nine gold, five silver, and four bronze medals, which she earned across three Games from 1956 to 1964. That Nigeria’s shambolic performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics games has elicited negative reactions and outright condemnation among many people is not surprising. Nigeria is a nation of about 200million people with over 250 ethnic groups, positioned as one of Africa’s largest economies, boasting about $3,62.81 billion gross domestic product, (GDP). Nigeria has produced some of the most brilliant and successful achievers in sports and other sectors over time. The achievements highlight Uganda’s commitment to promoting sports and nurturing its athletes to excel on an international stage.
“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.
Biles’ celebrated comeback was a top attraction for celebrity fans, and she delivered an amazing performance with a powerful message of redemption. Swimming remained a cornerstone of Australia’s Olympic prowess, with the team delivering an outstanding performance in the pool. Australian swimmers dominated in both individual and relay events, securing multiple gold medals and setting several Olympic records. Cycling was another area of significant success for Australia, with the team excelling across various disciplines including track, road, and BMX. The cycling team’s performance was highlighted by multiple gold medals in both men’s and women’s events, showcasing the depth and versatility of Australian cycling talent. Team Australia earned gold at the Paris Olympics in Swimming, Cycling, Canoeing, Men’s double tennis, Rowing, Skateboarding, Sailing and Pole Vaulting.
Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Ese Brume, Kanyisola Ajayi, and few others posted very good times in their respective events at different meets and competitions at home and abroad this year. Blessing Oborodudu, and her female colleagues in wrestling showcased their readiness for the Olympics games. Not forgetting the Super Falcons who defeated arch-rivals South Africa to qualify for the female football event after 20 years. This unexpected, and unfortunate development snowballed into a cacophony of regrets, accusations and blame-games in the sporting community.
Replacements have to be groomed from a pool of performers who are below those leaving. Provisions have to be made for injuries, ageing, loss of interest, doping challenges, grading of the athletes based on performances for training grants, rewards and a lot more. Her impressive throw of 20.00m secured a historic victory, marking Germany’s first win in the event since Astrid Kumbernuss in 1996. The captain of the Nigerian women’s national team, Rasheedat Ajibade, has taken comfort in a new skill after the Super Falcons’ heartbreaking elimination from the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
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.
