Paris Olympics: The quintet bearing Nigeria’s medals hope

Following the breath-taking official opening ceremony which was held in an unprecedented style, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games which started on Wednesday, July 24 with the men’s Group B football match between Argentina and Morocco will go full blast till Sunday August 11 in the city of Paris.

The 2024 Olympic is Nigeria’s 18th appearance at the world’s largest sporting event and expectations are high that the 88 athletes who are in France to fly the country’s flag will avoid past mishaps when the country recorded barren outings.

Instead, the athletes are expected to carry on with their impressive showing at the last African Games in Ghana, to ultimately surpass Nigeria’s best-ever performance at the 1996 Olympic in Atlanta, USA, where Team Nigeria won two gold, one silver and three bronze medals.

Therefore, as members of Team Nigeria settle down in Paris after their final preparation in Germany and Spain, Nigerians are hoping that the highly motivated athletes, especially the quintet of Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Blessing Oburududu, Favour Ofili and Odunayo Adekuoroye who hold huge prospects for medals will make podium appearances.

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Nigeria’s medal prospects in Paris

Tobi Amusan

The current world record holder in the women’s 100m hurdles has consistently performed well in international competitions and will be looking to replicate her success in Paris.

Tobi’s first appearance at the Olympics was in Rio 2016 where she finished in the semi-final in the heat race and came close to the medals bracket in the next edition in Tokyo 2020 finishing fourth in the 100m hurdles.

Tobi is also the current Commonwealth and African champion in the 100m hurdles, as well as the meet record holder in those two competitions.  She won back-to-back Commonwealth and African titles in 2018 and 2022.

She is also the current Diamond league champion in the 100 metres hurdles, having won the final in 12.33 seconds (+1.8m/s) achieving a winning streak in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Therefore, expectations are high that Amusan will go a step further to make a podium finish at the Paris Olympics.

Ese Brume

A long jump specialist, Brume has already proven herself on the world stage with a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and consistent top finishes in major championships. She remains a strong medal contender.

Brume boasts of an impressive record of winning a bronze medal in the Long Jump event at the last 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, with a jump of 6.97 m behind Germany’s Malaika Mihambo who clinched gold with 7.00m jump.

Before clinching the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, she finished 5th in the Long Jump final with a leap of 6.81m in Rio 2019.

At the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, she won the bronze medal in the Long Jump with a jump of 6.91and in 2022, she became the first African woman in history to jump four legal marks over 7.00m

She is also the only athlete to win three consecutive Long Jump titles at the African Championships in Athletics as well as the first African to win two Long Jump medals at the World Athletics Championships.

She is the current commonwealth champion and a three-time African senior champion in the long Jump and holds a personal best of 7.17 m.

Blessing Oborududu

After so many national and continental accomplishments, the renowned female freestyle wrestler became the first Nigerian wrestler to ever win an Olympic medal when she clinched silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Oborududu won a silver medal in the women’s 68 kg freestyle wrestling event.

A 12-time African champion beginning from 2010 to 2023, Oborududu, who hails from Bayelsa State is currently ranked as the world number two woman wrestler.

Therefore, the most successful Nigerian female wrestler who made her debut at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games is favoured to improve on her silver medal in which she won in Tokyo when she takes to the mat in Paris.

Favour Ofili

Favour Ofili is known for her impressive performances in track and field events, particularly in the 200 meters and 400 meters races. She has rapidly risen in the athletics world, gaining recognition for her speed, skill, and achievements at both national and international levels.

Ofili competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the 200 meters event. Although she did not advance to the final, her participation at such a young age was a significant achievement and highlighted her potential on the global stage.

Ofili competed in the 2022 World Athletics Championships 200 meters, representing Nigeria and gaining valuable experience against some of the best sprinters in the world.

Ofili won a gold medal as part of Nigeria’s 4×400 meters relay team and a silver medal in the 400 meters at the 2019 African Games. These performances established her as one of Africa’s rising stars in athletics.

Twenty one year-old Ofili has clocked impressive times in the 200 meters, with a personal best of 21.96 seconds as of 2023, making her one of the fastest women in the world in this event and she has also excelled in the 400 meters, with a personal best of 51.49 seconds, showcasing her versatility and strength in both sprinting events.

In the build up to the Paris Olympics, the sprint queen underscored her readiness for the Games with victories in the 200m and 400m events at the Mike Holloway Pro Classic in Florida.

Odunayo Adekuoroye

Odunayo Adekuoroye has established herself as one of the top female wrestlers in her weight category, earning numerous accolades and representing Nigeria with distinction in various competitions.

Although Adekuoroye didn’t impress at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s freestyle 57 kg category, she has won medals at two editions of the World Wrestling Championships in 2015 and 2017 as well as gold medals at two editions of the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and 2018 which solidified her reputation as one of the top wrestlers globally.

Considering her rising profile in her event, it will be no surprise if Adekuoroye eventually crowns her efforts with a podium appearance in Paris.

Worthy mentions

Although most Nigerians have singled out the quintet as potential medalists for Team Nigeria, there are others who deserve a mention here because they are probables who can spring a surprise as well in their respective events.

Divine Oduduru: In the men’s sprints, Oduduru has shown potential in the 100m and 200m events. His performance in the lead-up to the Olympics will be crucial for Nigeria’s medal hopes in these events.

Quadri Aruna: A veteran in the sport, Aruna has consistently been one of Africa’s top table tennis players. His experience and skill make him a strong contender for a medal, especially given his impressive performances against higher-ranked opponents.

Favour Ashe

Ashe became the first Nigerian to run sub-10 in the 100m five times, achieving this milestone in three consecutive years. At the NCAA East Prelims, Ashe set a new personal best of 9.94s (+1.4), the fastest NCAA time this year and second fastest in the world. Earlier this year, Ashe set a Paris Olympics qualifying standard at the Florida Relays. Known as the “Nigerian Nightmare,” he was the first sub-10 runner in 2024 to qualify for the Olympics.

He will also hope to put Nigeria in the final of the men’s 100m again at the Olympics, after Enoch Adegoke became the first man since Davidson Ezinwa and Olapade Adeniken to reach the 100m final of the Olympic Games.

Anuoluwapo Opeyori

The first Nigerian player to qualify for two Olympic Games in badminton, Anuoluwapo Opeyori who will bear Nigeria’s flag at the games along with Amusan has dominated Africa in the men’s singles from 2019 till date, winning four African Championship titles and two African Games titles. He has won more continental singles titles in the sport than any African man before.

Chidi Okezie

Okezie delivered his career-best performance in the men’s 400m final at the African Games in Ghana, winning Nigeria’s first gold medal in the event in 37 years. His victory marks the first time a Nigerian man has won the African Games men’s 400m title since Innocent Egbunike in 1987. Okezie’s time is the fastest by a Nigerian athlete in nine years. Recently, Okezie set a new personal best of 44.97 seconds in the 400m at the Edmonton Athletics Invitational, qualifying him for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Ruth Usoro

The reigning All-African Games Champion in the Triple Jump, a 2022 World Championships finalist, and a two-time NCAA division one triple jump champion from her time at Texas Tech. Ruth Usoro qualified for the 2024 Olympics in Paris with a massive jump of 6.87 meters at the Jarvis Scott Open, surpassing the Olympic qualifying standard of 6.82 meters.

The victory in the long jump category marks Usoro’s qualification for her debut Olympic Games after missing the 2020 Games. Her other valid attempts were 6.71m, 6.59m, and 6.81m, demonstrating her readiness for the 2024 Olympics.