A couple of weeks before Nigeria’s best lock horns with the rest of the world at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, claims of poor preparations by the athletes have continued to run side-by-side with immense optimism expressed by sporting authorities that this may be Nigeria’s year of glory. But their high expectations are not far-fetched, GOWON AKPODONOR writes.

As the countdown to the world’s biggest multi-sports extravaganza continues, many Nigerian athletes are feeling the impact of the harsh economic situation in the country, which has forced some of them to compromise their nutritional needs. Worse hit in this scenario are home-based stars, who claim to be training on empty stomachs because the Federal Government has not made training grants available, to cushion the impact of the country’s dire financial situation.

It is, however, baffling that amid this dire situation, some sports administrators, including officials of the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, are expressing the belief that the 2024 Olympic Games will be the country’s best-ever outing since the 1996 edition, where the country won two gold and many other medals.

These bands of optimists are quick to point at the number of world-class athletes on display, as well as well-performing emerging ones who have so far qualified to represent the country in Paris.

According to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s (AFN) Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, about 14 top Nigeria athletes have picked slots for the Olympics, and more have joined them after the just-concluded National Trials, and the CAA Senior Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon.

These athletes include Favour Asher; Udodi Onwuzurike; Ese Brume; Favour Ofili; Timi Godbless; Godson Brume; Enekwechi Chukwuebuka; Temitope Adesina, the 4×400m mixed relay team; the 4×100m men’s and women’s relay teams, and the 4×400m men’s relay team, among others.

He said that what happened during the men’s sprint event at the 2024 Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) National Trials in Benin City, Edo State, could be compared to what also took place at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Trials when a field of the Ezinwa brothers, Davidson and Osmond, Olapade Adenikan, Seun Ogunkoya, Francis Obikwelu, and Deji Aliu ruled the tracks.

Between 1996 and 1998, Nigerian male sprinters were at their peak, with eight of them running under 10.20secs. Against all expectations then, a home-based athlete, Seun Ogunkoya, won the 100m to the admiration of all spectators present at the National Stadium, Lagos.

The nation’s track and field stars to the 2024 African Senior Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon, and the Paris 2024 Olympics were selected at the National Trials.

In view of the performances posted by some of these athletes of late, many say it is heart-warming to see Nigerian male sprinters bouncing back again after being overshadowed by the likes of Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya, and Akani Simbine of South Africa in recent years.

Before the National Trials, 11 Nigerian male sprinters returned fast times in the 100m, placing the country third globally among the countries that boast good performances. The two countries ranked above Nigeria are the United States (41) and Jamaica (14).

Other sprint nations such as Great Britain (10) Japan (eight) and South Africa (six).

United States-based sprinter, Ashe, holds the national lead with 9.94secs, which he secured at the NCAA East Regionals in the United States. Although Ashe has dealt with niggles all year long, he has managed to stay at the top of a big pile on the collegiate scene, giving many Nigerians the hope that if he can replicate the same form at the Paris Olympics, there is the possibility of a podium finish.
 
His failure to participate in the 100m final in Benin City, paved the way for Kanyinsola Ajayi to win the title for the first time (10.14) ahead of Alaba Akintola (10.16s), and defending champion, Usheoritse Itsekiri (10.22s). Ajayi has a Personal Best (PB) of 10.01secs in the NCAA this season. He trains with Ashe in the United States.

Ashe is not alone in the sub-10 region this season. Godson Brume has been good this year, boasting a Season’s Best (SB) of 9.99s, which he did at the SEC Championships. Brume got a slow start to the season due to hamstring issues, but he is now in the hot zone. Like Asher, Brume also did not run in the 100m race at the AFN’s Olympics Trials, in Benin City.

Itsekiri, who finished third in the 100m race at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, won the title last year at the same venue. He has come agonisingly close to breaking 10 seconds, running a PB of 10.02s on three occasions this season. He clocked 9.97s in Ontario but with a tailwind of 2.1m/s, slightly over the allowable limit of 2.0mps.
 
Akintola, who came second behind Ajayi in the 100m final, is still bidding for a ticket to Paris, having recently beaten a stacked 100m field including Ronnie Baker in Georgia, posting a Season’s Best (SB) of 10.08s.
 
Onwuzurike, despite a late start to 2024, has posted a personal best of 9.92 secs, and a season-best of 10.24 secs. He is one of the athletes to beat in the 200m with a personal best of 19.76 secs, and a season’s best of 20.13secs. He has booked his ticket to Paris.

However, in Paris, Nigerian sprinters, including Favour, Godson Brume, and Onwuzurike will have to contend with Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, who recently took down world champion, Noah Lyles of the United States, in Kingston with a world-leading 9.82secs in the 100m. Seville achieved a meet record, personal best, and world lead at the Kingston event.

Udodi is one of Nigeria’s biggest hopefuls who is heading to the Paris Olympics, but to make an appreciable impact in the 200m, he must be fully prepared for challenges from America’s Lyles, who recently made the difference in New York by clocking 19.77secs in the 200m into a headwind.

Ofili, who is one of the biggest stars going to the Paris Olympics ran a new personal season best of 11.06secs to win her first Nigeria Championships 100m title at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State during the AFN’s National Trials. She defeated African Games silver medalist, Olayinka Olajide, who came second with a time of  11.37s, and Justina Eyakpobeyan, a Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist, who came in third with 11.47s.
The time also secured Ofili a place in the 100m and 200m at the Paris Olympics. She is the second Nigerian woman after Godbless to qualify for both sprint events.

In the early 1990s, the 400m men’s event ignited excitement and rivalry in Nigeria when the likes of the late Sunday Bada, Clement Chukwu, Udeme Ekpeyong, and Jude Monye kept spectators on the edge of their seats at the National Stadium, in Lagos.

That excitement seems to be back. For the first time in many years, Nigeria boasts four 44.00sec runners in the men’s quarter-mile. Samuel Ogazi leads the pack with 44.52secs. There is DubemNwachukwu (44.81secs), Bamidele Emmanuel (44.88secs), and Chidi Okezie who recently hit the Olympics standard with 44.97secs.

For the women, Ella Onojuvwevwo is the fastest Nigerian in the 400m in recent years with 50.57secs. There is also Elo Esther Joseph, who posted 50.61secs to win the African Games gold medal in Ghana, in March this year, as well as Omolara Omotosho Ogumakinju with a 51.90 season’s best.

At the Paris Olympics, Onojuvwevwo, Joseph, and Ogumakinju will have their hands full, as they face challenges from the new world leader in women’s 400m, Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce, who recently powered to 48.89secs at the NCAA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, grabbing a Collegiate record.

Tobiloba Amusan is among the country’s surest athletes in Paris. “Tobi Express” as she is fondly called, is the current world record holder, African champion, and number one ranked in the world. She is also a two-time Diamond League Final winner and a three-time Commonwealth Games champion.

Amusan stole the spotlight at the inaugural Jamaica Athletics Invitational in May, running a world-leading time of 12.40secs to beat home favorite and reigning world champion, Danielle Williams (12.46) with USA’s Christina Clemens finishing third in 12.54s.

Amusan retained her national title at the AFN’s Olympics Trials in Benin City. If things go well for her at the Paris Olympics, Amusan could strike gold to end Nigeria’s long wait for the precious medal since Atlanta ’96.

Ese Brume, with a personal best of 7.17m is still holding sway in the women’s long jump.
Brume, who is Africa and Commonwealth Games champion, is currently ranked fourth in the world with a score of 1,348. Compatriot, Ruth Usoro, with a personal best of 6.87m, and up-and-coming former junior athlete, Prestina Ochonogor (6.67m), are ranked 27th and 46th position respectively in the world.

To strike a medal in Paris, Brume and Co must improve their jumps to better the perforce of Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic (ranked No 1 with 1,412 scores), Tara Davis-Woodhall of USA (ranked No 2 with 1,408 scores), and Larissa Iapichino of Italy (ranked N0 3 with 1,359 scores).

Team Nigeria secured four out of five relay tickets at the last World Relays held in the Bahamas. The women’s 4x400m relay team has also qualified based on their performance at the last African Games in Ghana but needs to run a better time before the qualification deadline on June 30 to ward off other countries from overtaking them.

Shot put thrower, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, is Nigeria’s surest bet in the sport, in Paris. The current African and Commonwealth Games silver medallist retained his national title at the AFN’s National Trials, in Benin City, on Sunday evening.  He is ranked within the top 10 in the world.

To be sure of a podium finish in Paris, Enekwechi must produce the magic to surpass the likes of Ryan Croaser (USA), Joe Kovacs (USA), Randy Barnes (USA) and Ulf Timmermann (GDR).

In badminton, Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori carries the country’s hope for a medal. Anu has proven beyond doubt that he has the strength, resilience, and perseverance needed to conquer at the world level, but with the Olympic Games being of a different level, he has a lot of challenges to surmount in Paris from July 26.

Among the athletes Anu must overcome to achieve success in Paris is the 30-year-old Danish badminton disruptor and current world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen. He is looking to defend his title in Paris after defeating China’s Chen Long in Rio in 2016 and taking home bronze in Tokyo.  The 6-foot-4 Danish player also holds two world championship titles.

Aruna Quadri is one of two table tennis players representing Africa in the singles event in Paris.  To navigate his way to the podium in the Men’s Singles, Aruna must dig deep to stop top opponents, including South America’s rising talent, Nicolas Burgos from Chile. There is also Asia’s Kirill Gerassimenko of Kazakhstan and Europe’s Alvaro Robles of Spain to beat.

Another sport that holds promise for Nigeria ahead of the Olympics is boxing, where the country has three fighters already qualified for the games.

Among these fighters, female pugilist, Cynthia Ogunsemilore, is seen as the boxer with the brightest chance of getting on the podium.

The 23-year-old Bariga, Lagos-born boxer left many at the Africa Games awestricken with the grace and ferocity that she displayed on her way to winning the gold medal in the 69kg category.
Many believe that if she could scale through early-round jitters, she has the qualities to win at least a bronze medal.

The two male fighters, Omola Dolapo and Olaore Olaitan, are seen as top hitters capable of getting to the medals zone if the draws favour them.

Wrestling, where Japan’s 2020 silver medallist, Blessing Oborodudu, and world number three women star, Odunayo Adekuoroye hold sway, will have six athletes on parade, in Paris.

Of the six, many believe that if Adekuoroye avoids the type of mistake that cost her a medal in Japan, she could get Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Oborodudu is also tipped to go a step higher by clinching the ultimate medal, but some analysts say that age may have slowed her down and the best she could get in Paris is a bronze medal.

Things are not so bright for the women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, which is the country’s sole representative in the sport following the men’s team’s failure to make the Olympics mark.

Although the women’s team is the current African champion, pundits believe that the withdrawal of top stars, including Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Adaora Elonu, Aisha Balarabe, Elizabeth Balogun, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah, and Ify Ibekwe from the team due to grievances against the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), has affected the team so much that they may not get beyond the first round.

Now led by home girl, Rena Wakama, the African champions are in what many have described as the “Group of Death,” with Australia, France, and Canada being their first-round opponents in Group B.

The women’s football team, Super Falcons, showed at the last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand that they have the qualities to rank among the best teams in the world.

Given no chance to survive from a group that featured hosts and top-rated Australia, Ireland, and Olympics champions, Canada, the Nigerian girls shocked the world by winning the group without a loss in three games.

They topped it up with a tough round of 16 clash with eventual finalists, England, who only triumphed through the penalty lottery after 120 minutes of action.

Going into the Paris Games, pundits believe that the Super Falcons can get to the medals zone if given adequate support to prepare for the Games by the government, and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Former African queen of the track, Mary Onyali believes Nigeria’s major strength heading to the Paris Olympics Games lies in the relays.

Speaking with The Guardian at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City during the AFN’s National Trials, Onyali said: “I think Nigeria has a better chance of winning medals in the relays than the individual events. But anything can happen at the Olympics.”

Another former athlete, Seigha Porbeni, also shares Onyali’s views. “I am so optimistic that Nigeria’s major strength in Paris will be the 4×400 mixed relay and 4x100m men. For the first time, we have about five athletes running sub 10 in the men’s 100m, and if we perfect our relay tactics well, and correct the mistakes of baton exchange, we will smile home from Paris.

“I also see Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume returning home with something good. Amusan has been having problems with her start, but it is something she can correct before the Olympics. If Ese Brume can reenact her 6.97 jumps, she might just strike a medal in Paris.”