Team Nigeria out of Paris 2024 Olympics without a single medal

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The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have come to a close, and Team Nigeria has returned home without a single medal for the eighth time in Olympic history. Despite fielding 88 athletes across 12 sports, the country’s slim hopes of making the podium were dashed when Hannah Reuben lost her Women’s Freestyle 76kg fight early Saturday.

However, athletes of Nigerian heritage who represented other countries made their mark on the Olympic stage. Salwa Eid Naser, formerly known as Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu, won silver for Bahrain in the 400m women’s event. Yemisi Ogunleye, born in Germany to a European mother and a Nigerian father, won gold for Germany in shotput.

Annette Echikunwoke, who was ruled ineligible to represent Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, won a silver medal in the hammer throw for the United States. Samuel Omorodion, a Spanish professional footballer of Nigerian descent, was part of the Spanish team that won the gold medal in the men’s football tournament.

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These athletes’ achievements highlight the talent and potential of Nigerian athletes, but also raise questions about the country’s ability to nurture and retain its sporting talent. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s failure to follow proper steps led to Echikunwoke’s ineligibility to represent Nigeria, while Naser left Nigeria for Bahrain at the age of 15.

Nigeria reflects on its worst Olympic outing since London 2012 and it is clear that the country needs to address its sporting infrastructure, coaching, and administration to unlock the full potential of its athletes. The achievements of Nigerian athletes representing other countries serve as a reminder of what could have been, and what can be achieved with the right support and investment.