Athletes of Nigerian heritage shine in Paris Olympics

10.08.2024 - 17:25 guardian.ng

Team Nigeria’s poor performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with many describing it as the country’s most lackluster Olympic showing in recent times.

This is even as Senator John Owan-Enoh’s position as Sports Minister is under increasing pressure following Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the Paris Olympics, with many calling for his dismissal.

READ ALSO: Why govt must forestall fuel supply monopoly in Nigeria –ExpertsFrom D’Tigress’ denied entry to the event’s opening ceremony, crashing out of the Olympic Games after losing 88-74 to the United States of America in the quarterfinals of the women’s basketball event, Favour Ofili’s omission in the 100-metre race, cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye borrowing bicycle from Team German, World Record holder, Tobi Amusan, failing to qualify for the final of the 100m hurdles event to Nigerian relay team disqualified for violating World Athletics’ competition rule in the 4x400m men’s relay, it has been from one tale of disappointment to another.

Although Nigeria’s Olympic contingent is still searching for its first medal, individuals of Nigerian descent have achieved success and recognition competing for other states.

Paris 2024 nigerian Paris Olympics Tobi Amusan Germany Usa South Africa Algeria Tunisia Egypt Ethiopia Cape Verde Morocco Zambia Nigeria Kenya Uganda

As it were at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Nigeria failed to win any medal, the situation at the on going World U20 Championships in Lime, Peru, is pointing at similar direction after long jumper, Prestina Ochonogor failed to win a medal on Wednesday night.

Minister explains decision to pay athletes’ training grants in Paris

Sports Minister, John Enoh, has explained his decision to pay both foreign and home-based athletes their training grants midway into the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Not Money, Paris Olympics Star Archana Kamath Reveals Real Reason Behind Quitting Table Tennis

Archana Kamath will dearly miss donning the Indian jersey, but the table tennis player is determined to serve the country in a "different way" in the future, helping to shape its public policies as an economist. Days after recording India's only success in the quarterfinal loss to Germany in the recent Paris Olympics, the 24-year-old from Bengaluru has re-entered student life in the USA where she is studying for a Master's in Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

India's Paris Olympics Star Archana Kamath, 24, Decides To Quit, Would Rather Study In US

India's women's table tennis team made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics, making it past the Round of 16 for the first time ever in the nation's history. India eventually lost the women's team battle to Germany in the quarter-finals, where Archana Kamath was the only paddler to have won a game. India eventually lost the match 1-3 and bowed out of the competition. Though reaching the quarter-finals was historic in India's table tennis history at the Olympic Games, Kamath wanted more. With there being no guarantee of a medal in the LA Games in 2028, the young paddler has decided to quit table tennis professionally and instead study abroad.

"Wrestlers' Protests Behind Ordinary Show In Paris Olympics": Federation Chief Sanjay Singh

Though Vinesh Phogat still stands a chance at being awarded a silver medal for her performance at the Paris Olympic Games, India's official medal count from wrestling reads just one bronze medal at the moment. Aman Sehrawat, competing in his maiden Olympic Games, bagged a bronze medal from the event, though the general perception of Indian wrestlers' performance in the Paris Games is ordinary. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief feels the ordinary show is only because of the protests that wrestlers were involved in.

Who Is B-Girl India? Meet The 18-Year-Old Breakdancing Sensation At Paris Olympics 2024

One of the new sports introduced into the Paris Olympics 2024 roster was breaking or breakdancing. And through this, a name that has risen to popularity in the Olympics, known as B-Girl India. The 18-year-old breakdancing sensation is already a serial winner, having won gold at the 2022 European Breaking Championship and the 2023 European Games. However, B-Girl India, despite her name, does not have any correlation to India. In fact, she represents the Netherlands. So why is she known by that name?