Nigeria will compete in three out of five relay events at next month’s Olympic Track and Field tournament in Paris France.
The West Africans’ medal winning potential now lies in the mixed 4x400m, women’s 4x100m, and men’s 4x400m.
Team Nigeria missed out on qualifying for the women’s 4X400m event despite blazing to the GOLD medal in the African Athletics Championships in Cameroon yesterday.
The quartet of Ella Onojuvwevwo, Patience Okon, Esther Elo Joseph, and Omolara Ogunmakinju clocked a time of 3:27.31 to reclaim their championship title, lost to South Africa two years ago in Mauritius.
Despite their outright victory against fierce rivals Botswana and Zambia, the Nigerian team won’t be participating in Paris as they needed to run faster than Cuba’s 3:26.08.
The Cubans currently occupying the last qualifying spot on the world list in 16th place.
Tag: Nigeria Olympic Committee
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This year’s Olympic Day celebrations will be held in 16 states and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on 29 June 2024.
They are Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Ondo, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Gombe, Kogi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, Osun Enugu and Imo.
According to a statement by Tony Nezianya, Public Relations Officer of the NOC Lagos the event will witness a series of physical fitness and recreational activities, including aerobic exercises plus other side attractions.
The Chairman of NOC Sport For All Commission, Dr Abdul Ibrahim, urges participants to take it easy, stressing that Olympic Day is not a competition to win prizes but to serve as a reminder that exercise, as a way of life, holds a lot of promise in helping humanity to stay healthy through sports.
The Olympic Day, celebrated annually to commemorate the birth of the Olympic Movement, will be flagged off in Nigeria by Engr. Habu Gumel, president of NOC.
In Lagos, the celebrations will centre around the NOC Secretariat.
The event will kick off at 8:30 am with an energetic aerobic exercise session, inviting participants of all ages to get their hearts pumping and bodies moving.
Following the warm-up, the program will shift its focus to showcasing the diverse range of sports that make up the Olympic Games.
Local athletes and sports clubs will captivate the audience with thrilling demonstrations, providing a glimpse into the skills and dedication required to excel at these disciplines.
The excitement doesn’t stop there.
To uncover the next generation of sporting stars, the organisers have planned a talent hunt component within the festivities.
Budding athletes will have the opportunity to showcase their talents, with the chance to be identified and nurtured by sports development experts.
As the day progresses, the event will culminate in a special presentation ceremony, where participants will receive diplomas to recognise their enthusiasm and participation in the Olympic Day celebrations.
This gesture aims to inspire and encourage the community to continue their active engagement with sports and the Olympic ideals.
This year’s Olympic Day comes up just a few days before the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games from 26 July to 11 August 2024. -
Nigeria’s last man standing Muiz Adegoke finally bowed out of the ongoing World Table Tennis Contender Series in the round of 16 stage today in Lagos.
Muiz lost 0-3 to South Korea’s Lim Jonghoon at the Sir Molade Okoye Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium to make it 8 Nigerians out of the men’s singles.
Same scenario repeated itself in the women’s category where three Nigerians Aminat Fashola, Fatima Bello and Aishat Rabiu exited in the round 16 stage of the singles event.
Bello slumped 0-3 to India’s Ayhika MUKHERJEE, Rabiu collapsed 0-3 to another Indian Sreeja AKULA while Fashola slipped 0-3 to Jieni Shad of Portugal.
Nigeria’s only hope of a podium finish lies in the pair of Omotayo Olajide and Azeez Solanke who confront their Chinese duo of
Fei Junghang and Luo Jiecheng in tomorrow’s men’s doubles semifinal.
The competition which ends this Sunday offers a total prize money of 80,000 US dollars. -
Top class Nigeria athletes are expected to excite spectators from today 16 to 22 June 2024 in the National Athletics Trials slated for the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State.
The center of attraction at the National Championship are the men and women’s long and short sprints, with renowned athletes like Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma and Ashe Favour, ready to set the stage alight.
Much attention is focused on the event as it’s a selection ground for Team Nigeria to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and the African Seniors Athletics Championship in Douala, Cameroon later next week.
Athletes who are yet to hit the qualifying mark are looking forward to making their faces known in Benin City while those who have booked their tickets to Paris look to consolidate on the feat.
For Nigerian athletics officials, it is heart warming sight and a melody of glad tidings to see Nigerian men sprinters bouncing back again after been overshadowed by Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya and Akani Simbine of South Africa in recent years.
Spearheading Nigeria’s march to reshape the African storyline is Ashe Favour whose speed and agility have consistently earned him sub 10.00 second performances.
He has a season and personal best of 9.94 seconds.
The A list sprinter is on the quest to erase Olusoji Fasuba’s national record of 9.88 seconds set in 2006.
Godson Brume is another sprinter on a speed mode, establishing himself as a force to reckon with by posting a Personal Best of 9.90 seconds and a season best of 9.99 seconds.
Udodi Uwazurike, the final piece of the men’s trio is begining to rediscover himself, grabbing all the attention after being slowed down by injury.
Udodi has a Personal Best of 9.92 seconds and a season best of 10.24 seconds.
He remains the athlete to beat over 200m with a personal best of 19.76 seconds and a season best of 20.13seconds.
Kayinsola Ajayi with 10.01seconds season and Personal Best is also a strong contender in the field that is expected to produce an African or world leading time ahead of the African Athletics Championships and Olympics.
In the women’s category, Favour Ofili takes the spotlight with a personal best of 10.78 seconds and a national record of 21.96 seconds.
The athletics amazon, is closely followed by Rosemary Chukwuma and Tima Godbless, another sprinter of note coming to the party.
The men and women’s 400m is another category worthy of mention.
For the first time in a number of many years, Nigeria can boast of four 44.00 seconds runners in the men’s quarter mile.
Samuel Ogazi leads the pack with 44.52 seconds trailed by Dubem Nwachukwu, Bamidele Emmanuel and Chidi Okezie.
In the same vein, Ella Onojuvwevwo, Elo Esther Joseph and Omolara Omotosho Ogumakinju also have a shot at glory.
In the field, all eyes will be on high jump sensation Temitope Adeshina to display her new found form in front of the home crowd.
She has only the cross bar to contend with as she aims to clear 2.00 meters after attaining 1.97meter height recently to erase her national record.
Ese Brume is still holding sway in the women’s long jump.
She is aiming for her fourth African Championships title in Douala, Cameroon.
Compatriots Ruth Usoro with a personal best of 6.87m and up and coming former junior athlete Prestina Ochonogor 6.67m are hot on her heels.
Meanwhile, the President of the Federation, Chief Tonobok Okowa, says the athletics governing body will select only the very best, who are capable of winning medals for the country at the African Seniors Championships in Douala the economic capital of Cameroon.
“For years, we have been looking for a way to top the medals table at the African Seniors Championships, and I believe we have the chance to make history this year in Douala, Cameroon based on the quality of stars at our disposal,” Okowa who is also the President of Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Region 2 stated.
“We will select only our best athletes in this National Trials not just for our trip to Cameroon but also for the Paris Olympic Games.” -
The Women Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) will run capacity-building seminars in six locations across the six Geographical zones of the country.
A statement released by Tony Nezianya, NOC PRO notes that the events take off from 10 to 27 June 2024.
The aim is to update female coaches and administrators on women’s inclusion in sports, with participants drawn particularly from state Sports Councils or Commissions.
The seminar will begin in Nasarawa from 10 to 11 June; Jigawa from 13 to 14 June; and Gombe from 13 to 14 June 2024.
Others are, Ogun from 20 to 21 June; Edo from 24 to 25 June and round off in Anambra from 26 to 27 June 2024.
Twenty-five participants from each commission or council are expected to gather in each zone.
The theme is Capacity Building in Sports.
Notable speakers at the events include, Prof. Florence Adeyanju, Dr. Ademola Are, Ms Bose Kaffo, Dr Richard Alabi, Ms Nneka Ikem and others.
The event is borne out of NOC’s Commitment toward promoting Gender balance in athletes’ participation, plus at coaching and administrative levels. -
The annual Olympic Day Celebration for 2024 will hold on 29 June across various states in Nigeria.
The occasion is a global event that commemorates the birth of the modern Olympic Movement, founded by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894.
According to the Nigeria Olympic Committee NOC, this year’s celebration holds special significance as it precedes the highly anticipated Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Nigerian athletes will compete and inspire the world with their performances.
“Olympic Day is a chance for people of all ages and abilities to experience the magic of the Olympic Games in their own communities,” said Babatunde Popoola, the Secretary-General of the NOC.
“It’s an ideal platform to highlight the benefits of physical activity and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect.”
States such as Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Lagos, Kogi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, Kwara, Taraba, Imo, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Nasarawa, and Osun have already indicated their plans to organize activities for the event.
For Lagos, a series of activities have been lined up, with fitness clubs at the National Stadium Complex and the general public gearing up to take part in the global event.
The celebration will conclude with presentation of diplomas signed by the President of the IOC Thomas Bach.
The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel, and other dignitaries will officially flag off the event in Abuja. -
A three day seminar to bolster sports management capabilities at grassroots in Nigeria is expected to end today in Lagos.
The seminar is organised by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), in partnership with the National Association of Physical and Health Education, Recreation Sport and Dance (NAPHAED.)
According to a statement released by the Public Relations Officer of NOC, Tony Nezianya this marks the 5th collaborative effort between the two bodies to provide crucial training for sports administrators.
The initiative is supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through its Solidarity program, which has designed Sports Administration and Advanced Sports Management Courses to assist National Olympic Committees in enhancing the skills of managers worldwide.
This exercise involves NOCs, national federations, sports clubs, educational institutions, and other sports organisations, providing a comprehensive approach to sports development.
Participants in these courses play a vital role in ensuring that sports are managed effectively and ethically in their communities, contributing to the overall strengthening of the country’s sports ecosystem. -
Nigerian Mbata Patricia’s dream of participating in the Paris 2024 Olympic Boxing Tournament has come to an end.
She suffered a points decision quarterfinal loss to Mexican Ortiz Citlalli Vanessa today in the women’s 75kg class at the ongoing 2nd World Boxing Olympic Qualification Series in Bangkok, Thailand.
The defeat now leaves Zainab Adeshina as the country’s only boxer in the qualifying.
Adeshina will take on Kaivo-Oja Pihla from Finland in the women’s 50kg quarterfinal (From 12:30pm Nigeria Time). -
Nigeria’s sole representative in the 2024 Olympic Badminton Tournament Anuoluwapo Opeyori has started training ahead of the Paris Games scheduled for 26 July until 11 August 2024.
According to the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih the two time African Games champion Opeyori is paired with two national team players, Victor Ikechukwu and Emmanuel Joseph at the Badminton section facility at Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos.
The second stage of camping for the two time Africa Senior Championship titlist will come up in Italy.
Opeyori has tens days to spend in Nigeria before jetting out to Italy where he will have access to world-class facilities and play against some top-ranked players in Europe.
To round off his training regime, the African champion will join the foreign camp organised by the Federal Ministry of Sports in Germany from the 1st to 21st July. -
Enterprising Nigerian boxers Patricia Mbata and Zainab Adeshina are one win away from qualifying for the women’s Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Adeshina dismantled Jordanian Hannan Nasser by split decision today to progress to the quarter finals of the women’s 50kg class at the ongoing Boxing Road to Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
One more win tomorrow for Adeshina will land her the ticket to the Olympics.
Earlier today UK based pugilist Mbata took down Brazil’s Vivianne Pareira 4-1 in the round of 16 stage.
The split decision win in the 75kg class, means Mbata needs one more victory in the quarter final to qualify for the Paris Games.
Both Mbata and Adeshina are the two remaining Nigerian boxers in the Thai qualifying.
The qualification series ends tomorrow 2nd June.Follow the K£L£CHI B£RNARD(@woramangra on IG, YouTube and X) channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaT5EQ735fLt6ercZb0X
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