Julius Okorie
With no medal in sight for Team Nigeria, following the ouster of Table tennis players, Super Falcons among others, the possibility of going close to medal zone rises today as athletics takes centre stage in full force.
All eyes will be on the Nigerian athletes who will be showcasing their skills in various track and field events.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHigh jumper, Temitope Adeshina, women’s discus trio, Ashely Anumba, Chioma Onyekwere, and Obiageri Amaechi, shot put thrower, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, as well as the mixed 4x400m relay team, will be competing in the first round of their respective events at the Stade de France.
Indoor and outdoor national record holder and three-time national champion, Adeshina, who is making her debut appearance at the Games, will be out by 9:15 am for a chance to make the final of the women’s high jump.
With her personal best of 1.97 m, which is also the final qualification standard, the 25-year-old is in Group B of the qualification event, which has 31 other jumpers
She will be guaranteed a place in the final if she produces the same mark that earned a place in Paris or if she ranks among the 12 best performers in the qualifiers.
There will be more action in the evening session, starting with one-time African champion, Anumba, as well as the Commonwealth Games, and two-time African champion, Onyekwere and reigning African Games champion, Amaechi, will also compete in the women’s discus throw.
READ ALSO: Paris Olympics: NOC Names Amusan As Flag Bearer
Ahead of her Olympics debut, the 25-year-old Amaechi described her participation as a dream come true, just as Nigeria will feature three athletes in the event for the first time.
“Being here alone is a dream come true, and being able to be part of this historic three is even sweeter than just coming here alone because we have all been working hard,” Amaechi said via Making of Champions.
On the track, the mixed 4x400m relay quartet will also run in Heat 2 their event, going up against strong countries like Great Britain, the Netherlands, Ireland, the Dominican Republic, and Italy.
It’s the second time Nigeria will be competing in the event after making its 4x400m mixed relay debut in Tokyo 2020. Only the top three countries from the heat will book automatic qualifications into the final on Saturday. Nigeria is banking on flag bearer and world record holder, Tobi Amusan and others to bring something home even as the Women Basketball Team, D’Tigress, continue in their quest to hit the knockout stage after winning one match and losing one with the last group Game billed for Sunday, against Canada.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
