By Ohuakanwa Chibuzo
Nigeria’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics concluded without a single medal, marking one of the country’s most disappointing Olympic performances in recent history. Despite fielding a strong team of athletes, Nigeria failed to secure any podium finishes, with the closest chances coming in athletics, where several athletes reached the finals but fell short of winning medals.
This outcome stands in stark contrast to Nigeria’s historic performance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where the nation won six medals, including gold in men’s football and women’s long jump. The 2024 Paris Games have now joined the ranks of Nigeria’s worst Olympic showings, echoing the disappointment of the 2012 London Olympics, where the country also returned home without any medals. These results highlight ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s sports development and its performance on the international stage.
The Paris 2024 Olympics, which concluded on August 11, 2024, saw the United States topping the medal table with 126 medals (40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze). China followed with 91 medals, while Japan secured 45 medals, placing third. The host nation, France, finished fifth with 64 medals, and other top-performing nations included Australia, Great Britain, and the Netherlands.
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In the wake of Nigeria’s disappointing performance, attention has turned to the substantial financial investment made in the country’s Olympic campaign. Sports Development Minister, Senator John Owan-Enoh, revealed that President Bola Tinubu approved over N12 billion for Team Nigeria’s preparation and participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Of this amount, N9 billion was allocated for the Olympics and N3 billion for the Paralympics.
Adding to the nation’s disappointment, several athletes of Nigerian descent achieved success at the Paris 2024 Olympics, but while representing other countries:
– Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain): Silver in Women’s 400m.
– Yemisi Ogunleye (Germany): Gold in Women’s Shot Put.
– Annette Echikunwoke (USA): Silver in Women’s Hammer Throw.
– Michael Olise (France): Silver in Men’s Football.
– Samu Omorodion (Spain): Gold in Men’s Football.
– Barthelemy Chinenyeze (France): Gold in Men’s Volleyball.
– Victoria Ohuruogu (Great Britain): Bronze in 4x400m Relay.
– Femi “Bam” Adebayo (USA): Gold in Men’s Basketball.
As Nigeria reflects on its performance, attention now turns to the upcoming Paralympics, where the nation hopes to redeem its fortunes. The government and sports administrators are also under pressure to address the systemic issues that have hampered Nigeria’s competitiveness on the world stage.
