Tag: Paris 2024

• By Chijioke Ezeali

Nigeria won zero medals at the Olympics despite a strong contingent of 88 athletes to the beautiful City of Paris in the summer of 2024. It was heart-breaking and a lot of sports fans were left despondent how the team had no returns across the 12 sporting events they competed for.

Interestingly, the Nigerian government approved 12Billion Naira for preparation but our athletes struggled against their more prepared and supported counterparts from other nations. Some had mixed feelings when national anthems were played for medallists and it was won by an athlete of Nigerian descent. The likes of Yemisi Ogunleye won gold for Germany in the shot-put event, Annette Echikunwoke delivered silver for the United States in the Women’s Hammer event and Nigerian-born Salwa Eid Naser sprinted to the 400m silver medal for Bahrain.

However, it wasn’t all doom for Nigeria in Paris as our Paralympians came through. 24 athletes represented Africa’s most populous country and competed in four different events – badminton, athletics, powerlifting and table tennis. They collected seven medals – two Gold, three Silver and two Bronze. It was nothing close to the likes of China and Great Britain with a total of 220 and 124 medals respectively but it was enough to make Nigerians smile while hoping for the absolute best in future.

Onyinyechi Mark won Nigeria’s first gold medal in Paris, setting new records by lifting 146kg, 147kg and 150kg in her powerlifting event. And team captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo also won a gold medal in powerlifting while breaking two world records with a spectacular 167kg lift.

Paralympic power lifter Ester Nworgu, who had dislocated her shoulder prior to her event showed superwoman abilities as she won silver medal in Paris 2024. Also, on the silver train was Bose Omolayo, who won her third consecutive medal at the Paralympics with a 149kg lift. Nigeria’s third silver medal came from Flora Ugwunwa, who clinched the silver medal in the Women’s Javelin F54 event with an impressive throw of 19.26m. She previously won gold in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Perhaps it could have been a third gold if the death of her mother at the time had not weighed heavily on her.

Speaking to Sporting Life, she revealed: “My mother was everything to me. Her demise affected my performance heavily towards my competition.”

But despite the tragic loss of her mother, Flora’s account of 2024 was one of success as she recounts:

 “I will say that year 2024 is awesome, at least I was able to go for the Paralympic Games despite all the challenges that I faced before and during the Paralympic Games.

“I had a wonderful experience at the Olympics, kudos to the minister (John Enoh) who made it possible for me to receive a training grant for the first time. It was a nice experience,” she added

Read Also: Paris 2024 : Committee recommends  N8 million compensation for Ofili  

The veteran athlete went on to make a special plea to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, she said: “I hope that our amiable President Tinubu, will try to honour us for always making Nigeria proud. I have been to three Paralympic Games, won two gold medals with a world record, and silver in the last one, but in all these achievements, I’ve never received a presidential honour and it breaks my heart. So, I hope that 2025 will make my dreams come true.”

At 18, Eniola Mariam Bolaji became the first-ever badminton player from Africa to win a medal either at the Olympics or Paralympics when she beat Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna in straight sets (21-9, 21-9) to claim bronze at Paris. Practice they say makes perfect and that was exactly what played out in Paris as Eniola had beaten the same opponent during the Spanish Para Badminton International in April, 2024. Eniola beat the then world number six 2-0 (21-13, 21-8) to clinch gold in the Women’s singles SL3 event. So, her rise wasn’t by accident but meticulous practice and investment – hopefully the government would give more grants to athletes to train and compete at elite events and be ready for major competitions like the Olympics or Paralympics.

Finally, Isau Ogunkunle won a bronze medal for Nigeria in Para-Table Tennis Singles Class 4 event, becoming the first Nigerian athlete to win an individual medal in Para-Table Tennis since Sydney 2000. “My achievement in the Paris 2024 Paralympics games had changed the history of Nigeria table tennis – because it was the first time a medal was won in 24 years for an individual event.”

Ogunkunle is determined to build on his achievements in Paris and he looks ahead into the New Year.

“My expectation for 2025 by the grace of God is to train harder than before and win more laurels for Ogun State and Nigeria. I want to attend more international competitions and qualify for my third consecutive Paralympic games in Los Angeles 2028,” he told Sporting Life.

Indeed, our Paralympians  are  the real MVP (Most Valuable People) of Paris 2024.

Wants  AFN, NOC officials sanctioned

The Investigative Committee formed to address Nigeria’s negative exposure at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games has  asked the  Athletics  Federation of Nigeria(AFN)  to pay a ‘symbolic compensation of N8million Naira only (about $5,000 US Dollars)’  to Favour Ofili as part of  its recommendations following  the  release of  its comprehensive report.

The  Committee,  headed by frontline journalist,  Dr. Mumini Alao,  was set up Senator  John Owan Enoh who stepped down  the public presentation of the report  following his ‘reassignment to another ministry by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’. 

According to Alao, the committee  sought and got the approval  of newly appointed  Chairman of the National Sports Commission(NSC)  to release  the  report.

In a 54-page document, the committee highlighted the conflicting evidence regarding Favour Ofili’s omission from the women’s 100 metres event, pointing to potential lapses by various organisations, including the AFN  and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

While the investigation found insufficient evidence to wrongly indict any specific organization, it concluded that AFN Secretary General Rita Mosindi displayed negligence in communicating Favour Ofili’s event status.

The report  further recommends penalties for Mosindi and suggests that AFN’s Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, should be sanctioned for failing to act on information regarding Ofili’s registration.

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The committee, therefore,  urged the AFN to compensate Ofili for the distress caused by her omission, alongside calls for better governance and transparency among sports bodies in Nigeria.

“The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) by vicarious implication should pay the athlete, Favour Ofili, a symbolic compensation of N8million Naira only (about $5,000 US Dollars) for the disappointment and depression that she suffered on account of her omission from the women’s 100 meters event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” the committee report read in part.

Aside,  the Committee also  urged  the NOC  to caution two of its staffers found culpable  in the Ofili Saga

“Mr. Samuel Fadele and Mr. Emmanuel Nweri of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) should be WARNED not to rely on social media applications as a means of important official communication in the future. Physical documents and/or Emails remain the acceptable standards for official communication.”

Central to the committee’s findings is the need for a written code of governance between the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Ministry of Sports Development.

This move is intended to enhance transparency and trust, preventing future controversies like the one that impacted Nigeria’s participation in the Games.

The committee has also advised all sports federations to develop specific codes of conduct for athletes and emphasized the importance of anti-doping measures. Furthermore, they recommended that the Ministry of Sports Development implement a private-sector-led funding approach to address the chronic issue of inadequate funding for Nigerian sports. This strategic shift aims to bolster grassroots sports development and improve the overall infrastructure necessary for athlete training and preparation.

Minister of Sports Development  Senator John Owan Enoh yesterday inaugurated a seven-member Committee to investigate the negative exposures the country  was subjected to at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Inaugurating the Committee, which has Dr. Mumini Alao, as Chairman at the media centre of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja, the Minister stated that as part of the terms of reference, the committee should revisit the issues which exposed the nation inappropriately including that of Favour Ofili and Ese Ukparense of cycling.

The committee was also mandated to wade into the doping issues surrounding some of the athletes at the Olympics and Paralympics, the contract agreement between Actively Black company and the Nigeria Olympic Committee, code of conduct amongst Team Nigeria members etc.

In carrying out the assignment, Senator Enoh urged the committee to be firm, diligent, professional, and to apportion blame no matter who is involved.

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This he gave as a major reason for constituting a committee devoid of any affiliation with the Sports Ministry, Federations, and other key players during the games.

Still speaking, the Minister stated that in the past, such matters were swept under the carpet, but  under his leadership, the nation deserves to get to the root of the matter to prevent future occurrence.

Senator Enoh expressed confidence in the ability of the committee to get the job done since members of the committee were men and women of honour and integrity.

The Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Alao thanked the minister for the opportunity to serve the nation. He assured him that they would approach the assignment with commitment, adding that the committee will not disappoint the nation.

In the spirit of the just concluded Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria and the French Institute, will be hosting the ‘Inspire the Future’ workshop tomorrow  at Springhall British School, FCT Abuja.

The workshop is part of a range of sporting activities across various schools in Nigeria being organized by the French Embassy to showcase its dynamism in the period of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

According to the organisers, the objective of the workshop is to inspire, inform and educate the young participants on the subjects of Olympics, taekwondo and self-defence.‘

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The workshop, which will be based on the Paris 2024 Olympics theme of ‘Excellence, Respect and Friendship’ , will be spearheaded by Team Nigeria  Captain to the London 2012 Olympics and Beijing 2008 Olympic medallist, Chukwumerije.

Some 60 students have been confirmed to participate in the closed workshop, which would include basic self-defence training for girls, and introduction to taekwondo, the Olympics values and Nigeria taekwondo Olympics history.

The event is powered by the French Embassy in Nigeria and the French Institute.

Team Nigeria’s captain, Folashade Oluwafemiayo, has set a new world record in the women’s over 86kg para-powerlifting category, becoming the first para-athlete in history to lift 166kg.

Deng Xuemei of China took silver, while Egypt’s Nadia Ali claimed bronze.

Oluwafemiayo’s remarkable achievement brings Nigeria’s total medal count at the Paralympics to seven. She surpassed her previous world record of 165kg, adding a gold medal to her historic lift.

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As Team Nigeria’s captain for Paris 2024, Oluwafemiayo had earlier won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games and silver at the London 2012 Games.

She missed the Rio 2016 Games due to pregnancy but made a triumphant return five years later, clinching gold at Tokyo 2020.

Armand Duplantis and Letsile Tebogo headline a raft of Olympic champions who will descend on Lausanne for the first Diamond League meeting since the end of the Paris Games.

Some 18 current Olympic or world champions will be present in the Swiss city for tomorrow’s meet, coming just 12 days after the last of the track and field action at the Stade de France.

Duplantis defended his gold in France’s national stadium and improved his own world record to 6.25 metres.

In Lausanne, the Swede will take part in a City Event held on an esplanade bordering Lac Leman – better known in English as Lake Geneva – on Wednesday, 24 hours before the main fare at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.

Duplantis will be up against American Sam Kendricks, the silver medallist in Paris, and also Renaud Lavillenie, the 2012 Olympic champion and former world record holder who failed to qualify for what would have been his home Games.

“It’s the only pole vault event next to a lake,” Duplantis said. “I love to have it scenic, fun, more like a show. It suits us well. I jumped 6.10m in Lausanne last time and have felt well rested since Paris.

 “I think there are still some good jumps in my legs,” said the US-born Swede, who left Paris the day after the event for a “much-needed vacation with my girlfriend to chill as much as I could”.

Botswana’s Tebogo will race the 200m tomorrow , the event he won in Paris when he outstripped a Covid-hit Noah Lyles.

The American, a three-time world champion in the distance and the 100m winner in the French capital, has called time on his season.

Tebogo will be up against Fred Kerley, the triple world champion (100m and relay) and 100m bronze medallist in Paris, and his US teammate Erriyon Knighton.

The 21-year-old Batswana raced to victory in an African record of 19.46sec, a time that took him to fifth on the all-time list.

He also became the first African to win the Olympic 200m metres. The men’s 800m race in this 11th stage of the Diamond League circuit also promises to be a thriller.

Four men in the Olympic final dipped under the 1min 42sec mark for the first time ever.

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And four of the top five finishers from the Games will run in Lausanne: Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya, the third fastest man in history, Olympic silver medallist and world champion Marco Arop of Canada, and the fourth and fifth-place finishers in Paris, American Bryce Hoppel and Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui.

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen will bid to put the disappointment of his 1500m outing at the Paris Games behind him when takes on a strong field in Switzerland.

American Cole Hocker stormed to an upset victory in Paris, outsprinting world champion Josh Kerr of Britain, American Yared Nuguse and Ingebrigtsen.

The Norwegian finished fourth, left ruing an insanely fast opening 400m that left him vulnerable to a late attack.

Ingebrigtsen did, however, rebound to win the Olympic 5,000m title and now has an immediate chance of redemption over the shorter distance, with Hocker also listed.

There is also a high-quality field assembled in the women’s high jump, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh up against Australia’s Paris silver and bronze medallists Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson.

Mahuchikh set a new world record of 2.10m at the Paris Diamond League meet and while not reaching those same heights at the Olympics, seems in unbeatable form.

Femke Bol is another athlete on show, competing in the 400m hurdles, in which she won bronze in Paris behind record-setting Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Anna Cockrell.