Paris 2024: Nigeria’s Medal Hopes Dashed, But Future Looks Bright

For the eighth time in Olympic history, Nigeria’s athletes will return home without a single medal. Team Nigeria concluded its Paris 2024 Olympic campaign on Saturday, finishing empty-handed.

A total of 88 Nigerian athletes competed across 12 sports in Paris. Hopes were high, but on Saturday, Hannah Reuben—Nigeria’s last chance for a medal—lost her second-round women’s freestyle wrestling match 5-2 to Mongolia’s Davaanasan Amar Enkh. This defeat sealed Nigeria’s worst Olympic performance since London 2012.

Nigeria’s Olympic struggles have a long history, starting from Helsinki in 1952. The disappointments continued in Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, and Mexico City 1968. A brief respite came in Tokyo 1964, where Nojeem Mayegun won Nigeria’s first Olympic medal, but the drought resumed in Moscow 1980, Seoul 1988, and now Paris 2024.

Despite the absence of medals, there were moments of promise. Favour Ofili, controversially excluded from the 100m event, made history as the first Nigerian woman to reach the 200m final since Mary Onyali in Atlanta 1996.

Eighteen-year-old Samuel Ogazi also shined, becoming the first Nigerian man to reach the 400m final since Innocent Egbunike’s feat in Seoul 1988.

The Long Jump trio of Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor made history as the first time three Nigerians reached the final in a single event. In another notable performance, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi finished sixth in the Shot Put final.

These achievements offer a glimmer of hope as Nigeria begins its countdown to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, aiming to end its medal drought.