After a week of intense competition for medals by paralympians from different continents of the world, the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, which began on August 28, will end tomorrow, September 7, in Paris, France.
Team Nigeria, after a dismal showing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, is being represented at the ongoing Paralympics by a contingent of 35 athletes who are accompanied by a team of coaches and medical personnel.
In view of the painful fact that the Nigerian Olympic contingent had posted another barren outing in spite of the huge government support, the 2024 Paralympic Games became a significant opportunity for the country’s paralympians to restore the nation’s pride on the global stage.
Therefore, immediately the 2024 Summer Paralympics commenced in Paris, all eyes were on the 35 athletes as Nigerians waited with bated breaths to see how they would again rescue the damaged reputation of the country after the mishap in the earlier held Olympics Games.
Such high expectations weren’t unfounded because since the country debuted at the 1992 Summer Paralympics in Barcelona, Spain, the Paralympians have never witnessed any drought. Even when their able-bodied counterparts finished the Olympics without a medal as they did on eight different occasions, the physically challenged athletes always showed up for the country.
In their debut in 1992, the Paralympics team which featured in three events namely athletics, powerlifting and table tennis, returned from Barcelona with three gold medals. Adeoye Ajibola won two gold medals in athletics while powerlifter, Monday Emoghawve, clinched the other gold in powerlifting.
From the glorious outing in Barcelona, Team Paralympics has not looked back as the physically challenged athletes with unyielding spirits have continued to increase their medal haul which now stands at 83 medals since 1992.
A breakdown of the medals shows that the Paralympians have won 41 gold, 20 silver and 22 bronze medals. They returned with three gold from Barcelona in 1992, three gold, two silver and three bronze medals from Atlanta ’96 Summer Paralympic Games, seven gold, one silver and five silver from Sydney in 2000 and five gold, four silver and three bronze at the Athens Paralympics in 2004.
At the Beijing Games in China, Team Paralympics returned with four gold, four silver and one bronze medal, at London Paralympics in 2012, they won six gold, five silver and two bronze medals and at Rio de Janeiro 2016, the Paralympians recorded their best-ever performance with eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
And at the 2020 Tokyo Games, the Paralympians returned with four gold, one silver and five bronze medals. As stated earlier, there hasn’t been barrenness in the Paralympics for Nigeria since her debut in 1992 just as the Paralympians are yet to miss gold at any of the editions.
So, while the able-bodied athletes have managed to win only three gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze for a total of 27 medals in 18 appearances beginning from 1952, the Paralympians with a modest eight appearances have raked in a whopping 82 medals.
It must be noted also that while the country has produced only one individual gold medallist at the Olympics, Nigeria can boast of over 23 individual gold medallists in the Paralympics Games. The retired Policewoman, Chioma Ajunwa, remains Nigeria’s only individual gold medallist at the Olympics. She achieved the feat in the long jump event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. So, after 28 years, Team Nigeria is yet to produce another individual gold medallist.
At the ongoing Summer Paralympics in Paris, the ever-dependable paralympians have so far recorded a gold, silver and bronze medal in powerlifting, which is one of the country’s strongholds and in para-badminton. Interestingly, all the three medals have come from female athletes.
Nigeria’s first medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris was won by Miriam Bolaji Eniola in the para-badminton women’s singles SL3 event. The youngster defeated Kozyna Oksana of Ukraine 21-9, 21-9 in the bronze medal match.
By that heroic act, she became the first African to win a medal in para-badminton. Spurred by her compatriot’s success, Esther Ogechi Nworgu, also fetched Team Nigeria’s second medal at the games when she won the silver medal in Women’s up to 41kg powerlifting.
On her way to winning the silver medal, she set two new Paralympic records with her last two attempts at the coveted gold medal. Although she was eventually defeated by China’s Zhe Cui who set a new Personal Record of 119kg, Ogechi no doubt warmed her way into the hearts of the over 220 million Nigerians.
And just yesterday, the most precious of all the medals landed into the kitty of Team Nigeria when Onyinyechi Mark, competing in the Women’s up to 61kg para-powerflifting category, shattered her previous world record by lifting an astonishing 147kg, before further pushing the bar to 150kg for Team Nigeria’s first gold medal at the Games.
The achievements recorded by the trio have drawn commendations from Nigerians through the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, who lauded their doggedness and resilience.
While commending the athletes on their outstanding performances, the Minister said “This well-deserved victory, coming at a time when the country is still reeling under the disappointment of the Olympic Games is not only
heartwarming but uplifting.
“Thank you Ogechi Nworgu for lifting the Nigerian spirit from the agony of our recent disappointment. The nation is grateful to you for your patriotism, hard work and for showcasing the resilient Nigerian spirit.
“Your outstanding performance and the performance of Miriam Eniola Bolaji who had earlier clinched our first medal and creating history in the process, for herself, our country and the African continent, being the first African player, male or female to win badminton medal at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games; remain a source of pride and inspiration.”
On yesterday’s record smashing performance by Onyinyechi, the Minister said “This performance is nothing short of phenomenal. Today, you hoisted the flag of our great nation at the ongoing Paralympics, having won Nigeria’s first gold medal at the Games.”
The Minister also expressed hope that the performances of Bolaji, Nworgu and Onyinyechi Mark would inspire the remaining athletes to strive for gold and secure for themselves prominent places in the annals of Nigeria’s sports history.
Buoyed by Mr. Enoh’s clarion, the Paralympians are pushing hard for more medals as the curtains are about to fall on the 17th edition of the Games in Paris.
At the time of press yesterday, the Nigerian paralympians were still 53rd on the medals table with a gold, silver and bronze medal. Even if they fail to increase their medal haul, the Paralympic team has since outshone their able-bodied counterparts who returned from Paris without a single medal.
How the likes of Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, Blessing Oborududu, Aruna Quadri and Anuoluwapo dashed the hopes of many at the Paris Olympic Games is still fresh in the memories of Nigerian sports enthusiasts.
Therefore, a former Katsina State Director of Sports, Alhaji Aliyu Kofar-Soro, has said henceforth, the government should pay more attention to the special athletes who have remained the country’s saving grace at the global stage.
He said their consistent show of patriotism, resilience and determination in spite of their obvious physical challenges deserve special recognition and remuneration.
“Personally, I am not surprised by the performance of Team Paralympics because they have been as consistent as the stars from the north.
“Although they are not given even half of the attention the Olympians enjoy, these physically challenged athletes have never failed to come home with medals from the Paralympic Games. Their worst performance is better than what the Olympians have achieved in 18 outings.
“I, therefore, want the Federal Government to shift focus to the paralympians who deserve the attention that is presently enjoyed by the able-bodied athletes.
“With improved welfare packages, I am sure they will achieve more positive results at international competitions,” Kofar-Soro enthused.
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