Kenya topped Africas Olympics medal table but a new strategy will be needed to keep winning

Collectively, these athletes won four medals, a tally nearly equalling Nigeria’s best Olympic performance. In the spirit of celebrating women at the Olympics, we’re spotlighting African women’s performances at the games. There are no plans to work with schools, clubs, communities, and several initiatives that can harness thousands of young Nigerians aspiring to be athletes across different sports.

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Top officials have tipped the Super Falcons as well as several women athletes to win medals for Nigeria at the forthcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. Enoh said placing second overall on the final medals table at the Africa Games  was a heroic feat for the Nigerian athletes, but wondered why they could not break any games’ records in the process. The surfing competition at Paris 2024 will consist of men’s and women’s shortboard events. Each event will follow a similar format to the one used in the World Surf League (WSL) competitions.

Nigeria failed in Paris but the country’s name was associated with some success stories at this year’s Olympic Games

This result is a far cry from Nigeria’s best Olympic performance, which occurred at the Atlanta 1996 Games. During that historic event, the nation won six medals, including gold in men’s football and women’s long jump. In contrast, the 2024 outing could be considered among Nigeria’s worst, comparable to the 2012 London Olympics, https://big-bet.org/ where the country also failed to win any medals. This underscores the ongoing challenges Nigeria faces in sports development and international competition. But the big shame was seeing Nigerians carrying the flag of other countries. Yemisi Ogunleye who won gold for Germany in shot put is from Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti State.

Other statistics that may interest you 2024 Summer Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics showcased the world’s best athletes competing on the global stage, with nations vying for supremacy in various sports. Here we examine the top five countries that emerged as powerhouses during these Games, highlighting their achievements, standout performances, and the factors contributing to their success. British athletes have appeared in every Summer Olympic Games of the modern era, alongside Australia, France, Greece, and Switzerland, although Great Britain is the only team to have won at least one gold medal at all of them.

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• At the end of the games, however, and contrary to predictions, Nigeria was not among Africa’s “Top 10” finishers.
• Attention will soon shift to the Paralympic Games, where Nigeria has traditionally excelled, particularly in powerlifting and athletics.
• French Swimmer Leon Marchand won 4 Gold Medals at the Paris Olympics, going a perfect 4-for-4 in his individual events.
• This achievement marked Germany’s first gold in the event since Astrid Kumbernuss in 1996.
• John Enoh, minister of sports development, has described Team Nigeria’s performance at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France as a “disaster”.
• Nigeria sent 88 athletes to compete in Paris, but the contingent faced numerous challenges, including administrative lapses and poor technical decisions, which contributed to their underwhelming results.

Novak Djokovic, won the men’s tennis singles final, a gold medal at last at the Olympics, practically fulfilling a dream. Simon Biles who had to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, due to a condition called “twisties” made a remarkable comeback, to win three gold medals and a silver in gymnastics and in the process, became the most decorated gymnast in American history. Suni Lee, a former Olympic all-round champion and US gymnast was diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease in 2023. In Paris, she won gold at the all-round team finals, a bronze in uneven bars and yet another bronze at the all-round competition. Julien Alfred, 23, won the women’s 100 m race to claim St. Lucia’s first Olympics medal.

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Of these, 14 were in individual events, while four were achieved as part of the Soviet team. Larisa Latynina, a Soviet gymnast, stands as the second most decorated Olympian with an impressive total of 18 medals. From the 300 metres, Egbunike started closing up, and outran Kitur for the gold.

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There may well be other Africans who have switched loyalty to other countries. Winfred Yavi, who previously represented Kenya, but is also now a Bharain athlete in 3,000 m steeplechase won gold in Paris, setting the new Olympic record in that event. For example, our female basketball team, D’Tigress put up a good performance becoming the first African basketball team, male or female to advance to the quarter-finals of the sport. But let us not forget that the Nigerian female basketball team was the only African basketball team (men and women) to progress to the last 16 at the event. Nigeria’s ranking in the International Federation of Basketball, (FIBA), will by this feat be catapulted northwards. Besides, the coach, the 32-year-old charismatic Rena Wakama, was honoured as the Best Female Basketball Coach at the Paris 2024 Olympics tournament.

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• Echikunwoke’s story highlights the complexities faced by athletes with dual citizenship and the crucial role of national sports federations in supporting their athletes.
• Expectations are high in track and field with the biggest medal hopes being 100m hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan and long jumper Ese Brume, who won bronze medal at the last Tokyo Olympics.
• Collectively, these athletes won four medals, a tally nearly equalling Nigeria’s best Olympic performance.
• Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won Africa’s first ever 200m gold at the Olympics and was the anchor of Botswana’s 4 x 400 relay team which took silver.
• Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has already called for Nigerians to throw their weight behind the nation throughout the games.

Same with Salwa Eid Naser (formerly Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu) who also won silver medal in 400 metres, for little known Bahrain. Watching others including Yemisi Ogunleye, Victoria Ohuruogu, Barthelemy Chinenze, Samu Omorodion and Michael Olise winning medals for Germany, Great Britain, France, and Spain in different sports evoked teary eyes, and mood swings. The United States has made a strong showing with several athletes in the top ranks. Torri Huske has matched Marchand’s medal count with 3 gold, 2 silver, and 0 bronze.

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Biles’ celebrated comeback was a top attraction for celebrity fans, and she delivered an amazing performance with a powerful message of redemption. Swimming remained a cornerstone of Australia’s Olympic prowess, with the team delivering an outstanding performance in the pool. Australian swimmers dominated in both individual and relay events, securing multiple gold medals and setting several Olympic records. Cycling was another area of significant success for Australia, with the team excelling across various disciplines including track, road, and BMX. The cycling team’s performance was highlighted by multiple gold medals in both men’s and women’s events, showcasing the depth and versatility of Australian cycling talent. Team Australia earned gold at the Paris Olympics in Swimming, Cycling, Canoeing, Men’s double tennis, Rowing, Skateboarding, Sailing and Pole Vaulting.

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During the group stage men’s basketball game between South Sudan and Puerto Rico the wrong national anthem was played for South Sudan, a gaffe that the South Sudanese did not find funny at all. At the athletics Olympics village, there were complaints about substandard food, hot accommodation and cardboard beds. Team Great Britain ended up hiring a chef, many of the American superstars relocated to hotels. River Seine gave the organizers grave concerns, as the heavy rain showers on opening day further polluted the water, raising the level of E-coli, making it difficult for the river to be used for the men’s and women’s triathlon. The planned games on River Seine were rescheduled, all the same, three German athletes reported that they had been infected, athletes from Belgium and Switzerland also fell ill.

• “This call for reform aims to enhance the leadership and effectiveness of Nigeria’s sports federations, paving the way for improved performance on the global stage.
• Nigeria achieved her best performance in 1995 when the team, led by Mary Onyali, won a record 15 gold medals.
• South Korea’s Park Hye-jeong took silver with a 299kg total, while Great Britain’s Emily Campbell was clearly delighted with her bronze medal after lifting a total of 288kg.
• She was set to represent Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but was ruled ineligible.
• He first rose to fame by winning the 200 meters at the 2002 World Junior Championships.
• Over the years, it has become the only unifying capital for a country that is divided along ethnic, tribal, and religious considerations.

With 16 golds, France also beat their tally from Atlanta 1996 (15), and their 64 medals overall easily eclipsed their Beijing 2008 tally of 43. Hailing from Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria, Naser’s journey to the Olympic podium is a testament to her talent and determination. She honed her skills at Ado Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, where she clinched the Nigerian School Sports title in 2013.

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We must accept this reality in good faith and begin to plan for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. China’s athletes were particularly impressive, winning gold in all categories except for the mixed doubles, where they still secured the top spot​. This victory marks D’Tigress’ first-ever qualification for the Olympic basketball quarter-finals. Nigeria performed brilliantly in the group stage, amassing five classification points and leading the pack, with France set to face Australia later in the day. In a previous report, Legit.ng revealed that Usain Bolt confessed to eating over 1,000 chicken nuggets during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won two gold medals. The NSC will aggregate our sports assets, manage them with a rolling plan that would integrate the various top global events that culminate in the Olympic Games.

Adeshina breaks her winning streak in the Olympics High Jump

Briefly after the briefing, I asked the president of the Athletics Federation Nigeria (AFN) what our medal projections are and the basis for the projections. “Unlike other ministers of ministries that have agencies, they can decide in terms of what they want to achieve in that sector or not. The minister of sports doesn’t have such luxury because you are appointed and you have leaderships for different sports federations elected in their congress.

From reports, Team Nigeria’s camp was thrown into a “mourning mode” just as the country’s fraternity of human kinetics in and around Paris, as well as here at home. Over the years, it has become the only unifying capital for a country that is divided along ethnic, tribal, and religious considerations. Through sports, such leanings and similar banal segmentations are usually shoved aside.

In a hallmark of good leadership, both the Minister and his Permanent Secretary were fully on the ground to ensure that all logistics, kits, accommodation and allowances of the athletes were duly paid. A review of their chart or calendar of sporting activities and events does indeed collaborate with the fact that this year is eventful in the world calendar of sports. Femi “Bam” Adebayo, often referred to simply as Bam Adebayo, played a crucial role in the USA men’s basketball team’s victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Born to a Nigerian father, Adebayo has become one of the most prominent players in the NBA, known for his defensive prowess and versatility on the court. His contributions to the USA team were instrumental in securing the gold medal, and his performance in Paris further elevated his status as one of the best basketball players in the world.

In the history of Nigeria’s participation in the Olympics, the relay has always been one of the nation’s strongest Medal hopefuls. For the first time in the history of the relay, the Sports Ministry has five male athletes running 45 sec in 400m and three females running 51 secs. Meanwhile, the Americans have been projected to win for the fourth straight games with 121 medals, including 39 golds, 47 silver and 35 bronze. The sports are athletics, taekwondo, swimming, boxing, table tennis, weightlifting, wrestling, badminton, canoeing, cycling, football (women) and basketball (women). The defending gold medallist in the heaviest women’s class did not come close to threatening her own world record of 335kg, but her total of 309kg was more than enough to see off the rest of the field at the Paris Expo.

• Athletes should not be expected to be perfect nor to continue to deliver at all times as age naturally takes a toll on them, and every man has his time and season.
• “I didn’t expect that Nigeria would not win a medal in the Olympics,” Enoh Said.
• “I am sorry to say this but the result could reflect in our performances when the Olympics commence this week.
• “Let’s work on our facilities here, not embark on a fruitless training tour in a few months to the start of the Olympics.
• Her flagship program, “From Seed to Sequoia Initiative,” is a testament to her commitment, where she mentors secondary school students, helping shape their futures.
• Looking ahead to the next Summer Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles, USA, in 2028, Nigeria has an opportunity to improve its performance and regain its standing on the global sports stage.
• Most Nigeria’s foreign-based athletes engage in part-time jobs abroad which hamper their development and performance.

Historic firsts at the Olympics

Attention will soon shift to the Paralympic Games, where Nigeria has traditionally excelled, particularly in powerlifting and athletics. Expectations are high for the country’s Paralympians to continue their success and bring pride to the nation. Nigeria’s Paralympic athletes have consistently performed at a high level, and there is hope that they will once again showcase their talent and determination on the world stage. While the Paris 2024 Olympics was a challenging outing for Nigeria, the future holds opportunities for redemption. Looking ahead to the next Summer Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles, USA, in 2028, Nigeria has an opportunity to improve its performance and regain its standing on the global sports stage.

She guided the American women to victory in the team event at the start of the artistic gymnastics competition and then secured gold medals in the all-around vault, with a silver medal in the floor exercise. Yes, it was not a good outing, but I disagree that it was a “disastrous” one. It simply indicates that we need to do more through early preparations and active engagement in sporting events by our athletes before major tournaments such as this. However, in stark contrast to their achievements, Nigeria’s own contingent left the Paris 2024 Olympics without securing a single medal.

With the ghost of the 2012 London Olympics, where Nigeria failed to win any medal staring the nation in Paris, the anger, complaints, and negative exertions of people was understandable. The medal tally of these Diaspora athletes is almost at par with the country’s best-ever outing at the Olympic Games when Nigeria won two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. The success of these nations at the 2024 Paris Olympics not only celebrates their current achievements but also sets the stage for future competitions.

Leading the medals table is the United States with a total of 126 while China follows with 91. In the 2022 Winter Games, held in Beijing, the U.S. was third in both the gold-medal count and overall medals, with nine golds and 25 overall. Norway topped the count with 16 golds and 37 total medals, followed by Germany in both gold medals, with 12, and overall medals, with 27.

“I congratulate the athletes who will represent Nigeria on the global stage and I wish them well. Speaking with DAILY POST, Isa Saleh, Co-founder of Borno Junior League, expressed his doubt that Team Nigeria will win many medals for the country. Enoh also promised that the Olympic Games allowances and winning bonuses will be given to ensure Nigerian athletes perform well. Italy came into the Olympics as the Volleyball Nations League champions and did not lose a match en route to gold, dropping one set in the pool stage and none in the knockouts. “I wanted share our big satisfaction, with results that reflect the structural strength of our nation,” sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera added. “This result is an exceptional result,” Claude Onesta, High Performance Manager at the French National Sports Agency, told a news conference on Sunday as France finished fifth in the medals table.

Sports development minister, Senator John Owan-Enoh, announced that President Bola Tinubu approved over N12 billion for Team Nigeria’s preparation and participation in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Of this budget, N9 billion was allocated for the Olympics, and N3 billion was set aside for the Paralympics. Saleh cited poor preparation, lack of world standard sporting facilities in the country and below average number of participants in the total featured sports event at Paris 2024 Olympics.

• Whether you’re a seasoned surf enthusiast or a casual observer, the 2024 Olympic surfing event is set to deliver excitement, drama, and unforgettable moments.
• History was made in the women’s floor final with the first all-black gymnastics podium ever in the Olympics with Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade (gold), Simon Biles (silver) and Jordan Chiles (bronze).
• It is important that Kenya nurtures more sprinters and diversify beyond distance running.
• The sports programmes at home were stronger and also had funding, administrations was better than today.
• This victory marked Germany’s first gold in the women’s shot put since 1996 and solidified Ogunleye’s place among the world’s elite shot putters.
• We’ll look at those sports that have given us previous medals that we have recorded.
• Notably, swimmers Torri Huske and Regan Smith won five medals each, the most of any US athlete.
• Surfing made its debut in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and its inclusion in the Paris 2024 Games has generated significant excitement among surf enthusiasts and sports fans alike.

After a quiet 2004 Olympics, Bolt shone brightly in 2008, setting a 100-meter world record of 9.72 seconds and securing three gold medals in Beijing. Traditionally known for its distance runners, the nation continues to uphold its strong Olympic legacy and remains a formidable competitor in various athletic events. That move has proved to be a smart one as Naser has continued to win medals for the oil-rich Kingdom, the latest being the 400m Silver medal at the 400m women’s event.

Respected sports journalist, Dr. Mumini Alao believes that, “Nigerian sports is grossly underfunded which is a reflection of our poor economy. Since 1968, a Kalenjin male runner has won gold for Kenya at every Olympics. Instead, Emmanuel Wanyonyi from the Bukusu sub-ethnic group of the Luhya (traditionally better known for producing football, rugby, basketball and volleyball players) emerged as the sole Kenyan men’s gold medallist. The 20-year-old won the 800 metres, maintaining the country’s stranglehold on that event ever since the 2008 games.

DAILY POST reports that the sports Team Nigeria will compete in the 2024 Summer Olympic are below average when compared to the total number of featured sports events. Zheng Qinwen, 21, backed up her status as one of the best young talents in women’s tennis by winning the singles gold at Roland Garros after a few hard fought wins, including one against world number one Iga Swiatek. Samu Omorodion, born in Melilla, a Spanish enclave, to Nigerian parents, played a key role in Spain’s victory in the men’s football event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 20-year-old forward, who moved to Seville at a young age, is also eligible to play for Nigeria but chose to represent Spain.

The 27-year-old’s throw of 66.41m was significantly below her lifetime best of 71.88m achieved at the beginning of June. This mark also fell well short of the 73.00m qualification standard set by World Athletics for the event. Nemour from Algeria made history as the inaugural African gymnast to claim an Olympic medal by clinching the gold with a mesmerising performance on the uneven bars at the Paris Games on Sunday, captivating the audience at Bercy Arena. According to Britannica, Michael Phelps, often hailed as the “king of medals” in the Olympics, is the most decorated athlete in the Games’ history. During these two and a half weeks, the world’s top athletes will converge to strive for a place in history, seeking to leave their mark and aiming for gold.