As the world eagerly anticipates the Paris 2024 Olympics which takes place from July 26 to August 11 2024, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the remarkable achievements of Team Nigeria in past Olympic Games.
From historic gold medals to groundbreaking performances in various disciplines, Nigerian athletes have consistently demonstrated excellence and resilience on the global stage.
Completesports.com’s JAMES AGBEREBI revisits 10 of these unforgettable feats that have etched Nigeria’s name into the annals of Olympic history, showcasing the indomitable spirit and prowess of its athletes.
First Gold Medal – Chioma Ajunwa-Opara (Atlanta 1996 Olympics)
Currently an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chioma Ajunwa-Opara is notable for being the first Nigerian to win gold at the Olympic Games and the first black African woman to win gold at the games in a field event.
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Ajunwa-Opara was banned from athletics for four years after failing a drug test in 1992 despite maintaining her innocence.
Following the completion of her suspension, Ajunwa-Opara went on to win gold in the long jump event at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, with a jump length of 7.12 meters on her first attempt during the final.
First Football Gold Medal By African Team – U-23 Eagles ‘Dream Team’ (Atlanta 1996 Olympics)
Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles, known as the ‘Dream Team’, became the first-ever African team to win gold in the football event at the Olympics following their remarkable feat at the Atlanta 1996 games.
The Dream Team had captain Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha, Celestine Babayaro, Okechukwu Uche, Taribo West, Tijani Babangida, Sunday Oliseh, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, Garba Lawal, Wilson Oruma, Abiodun Obafemi, Emmanuel Babayaro, Joseph Dosu, Kingsley Obiekwu, Daniel Amokachi, Mobi Oparaku, and Emmanuel Babayaro.
After advancing from a group that had Brazil, Hungary, and Japan, the Dream Team defeated Mexico 2-0 in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, the team came from 3-1 down to beat Brazil 4-3 thanks to a golden goal by Kanu and went on to defeat Argentina 3-2 in the final.
Nigeria’s First Olympic Medal – By Nojim Maiyegun (Tokyo 1964 Olympics)
Born on 17 February 1941 in Lagos, Nojim Maiyegun was Nigeria’s first Olympic medalist, when he won bronze in boxing in the light middleweight category at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
He helped Nigeria win their first medal at the Olympics since their debut at the Olympic Games in 1952.
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Maiyegun began his campaign at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics by defeating his Great Britain opponent in the round of 16 and also saw off a Danish opponent in the quarter-finals. His progress into the semi-finals guaranteed him at least a bronze.
Unfortunately, his progress was eventually ended when he lost to a French opponent, who went on to win the gold medal.
4x400m Relay Gold – By Men’s Relay Team (Sydney 2000 Olympics)
The quartet of the late Sunday Bada, Enefiok Udo-Obong, Clement Chukwu, and Jude Monye won gold in a dramatic 4×400 meter relay men’s final at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The United States, with Alvin Harrison, Antonio Pettigrew, Calvin Harrison, and Michael Johnson, originally won the gold medal.
Legendary Michael Johnson was already ahead as the US relay team was assured of the gold medal while Jamaica and the Bahamas were in second and third positions in the final meters of the race.
But in a show of strength and determination, Udo-Obong overhauled both Jamaica and the Bahamas to help Nigeria win silver.
On 18 July 2004, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruled that Jerome Young was ineligible to compete in Sydney and annulled all his past results, including those achieved as part of relay teams.
Young had competed for the USA team in the heats and semi-final of the 4×400 meters event. Therefore, the USA team was stripped of the gold medal and Nigeria, Jamaica, and the Bahamas were moved up one position each.
On 22 July 2005, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned this decision and restored the original finish order of the race based on a ruling that a team should not be disqualified because of a doping offense by an athlete who did not compete in the finals.
In June 2008, Antonio Pettigrew admitted in a U.S. court that he breached the rules by using banned performance-enhancing substances, and agreed to return his gold medal.
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Michael Johnson announced that he would return his own gold medal, won as part of the relay team with Pettigrew.
Johnson stated that he felt “cheated, betrayed and let down” by what Pettigrew had done at the Games. On 12 July 2012, the IOC confirmed the medal reallocation with Nigeria getting the gold medal.
Nigeria’s First Silver Medal – By Peter Konyegwachie (Los Angeles 1984 Olympics)
Peter Konyegwachie became the first-ever Nigerian to win a silver medal at the Olympics, achieving the feat in boxing at the Los Angeles 1984 games.
Konyegwachie competed in the featherweight category and went all the way to the final before losing to home boy Meldrick Taylor of the USA 5-0.
He began his campaign with a comfortable 5-0 win against Malawi’s Ali Faki in the second round and a 4-1 win against Rafael Zuniga of Colombia in the third round.
In the quarter-finals, Konyegwachie overcame Uganda’s Charles Lubulwa 5-0 and in the semis, he recorded another 5-0 win against Turkey’s Türgüt Aykaç.
4x100m Silver Medal – By Men’s Relay Team (Barcelona 1992 Olympics)
Nigeria won silver in the 4×100 meters relay thanks to the late Oluyemi Kayode, Chidi Imoh, Olapade Adenekan, and Davidson Ezenwa.
The Nigerian quartet finished second behind the United States side that had the likes of Michael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Dennis Mitchell, and the legendary Carl Lewis.
Also, they finished ahead of a Great Britain side that placed fourth despite having Olympic great Linford Christie, who won the gold medal in the 100 meters at the Barcelona Olympics.
4x100m Bronze Medal – By Women’s Relay Team (Barcelona 1992 Olympics)
Just like their male counterparts, Nigeria’s 4×100 meters women’s relay team picked up a medal in the final.
Beatrice Utondu, Christy Opara-Thompson, Faith Idehen, and the legendary Mary Onyali-Omagbemi claimed the bronze medal behind gold medal winners the United States and the Unified Team that won silver (The Unified Team consisted of 12 of the 15 former Soviet republics that chose to compete together at Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games).
A star-studded Jamaican relay team that had sprint great Merlene Ottey, who were also favorites for the gold alongside the US going into the final, dropped their baton, hence missing out on a podium finish.
Nigeria’s First Relay Medal (Bronze) – By 4x400m Men’s Relay Team (Los Angeles 1984 Olympics)
Nigeria’s first medal in the relays at the Olympics was won in the men’s 4×400 meters, which came at the Los Angeles 1984 games.
After a battling performance, the quartet of Innocent Egbunike, Rotimi Peters, Sunday Uti, and Moses Ugbusien won the bronze medal.
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The host nation, the United States of America, won the gold medal while the silver medal went to Great Britain.
In the 4×400 meters Heat 4, the Nigerian relay team finished third behind the USA and Kenya but placed first in semi-final Heat 2 to qualify for the final.
Women’s 4x400m Relay Silver – (Atlanta 1996 Olympics)
The Nigerian 4x400m women’s relay team emulated the feat of their male counterparts at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games by also winning a medal in the event.
However, their achievement came 12 years later, at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics where they won the silver medal.
The Nigerian women’s relay team comprised Falilat Ogunkoya, Olabisi Afolabi, Christy Opara, and Fatima Yusuf.
The gold medal was won by the United States while Germany clinched the bronze.
The race is remembered for the intense battle for gold between Ogunkoya and Jearl Miles of the US, with the latter eventually managing to hold off her Nigerian opponent to cross the finish line.
Ogunkoya gained steadily until the final straight, reducing the gap to less than a meter. Miles was gritting her teeth, trying to hold off Ogunkoya. Coming off the turn, she looked to be struggling as Ogunkoya gained, Miles drifting into lane two to give Ogunkoya the direct route to victory. But Miles didn’t let her by, holding the edge all the way to the finish line for American gold.
Nigeria’s First Hurdles Medal (Silver) – By Gloria Alozie (Sydney 2000 Olympics)
Before the emergence of Oluwatobi Amusan, there was a certain Gloria Alozie who became the first-ever Nigerian, male or female, to win a medal in the hurdles at the Olympic Games.
Alozie achieved this feat at the Sydney 2000 Olympics where she won the Women’s 100m Hurdles silver.
However, a few days before the start of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Alozie’s fiancé, Hyginus Anugo, died in an accident.
A runner himself, Anugo was in the city as a reserve in the Nigerian 4x400m relay squad. Despite his death, Alozie put her grief behind her and went on to win a silver medal for Nigeria.
1 Comment
What makes all these achievements remarkable is that our athletes accomplished all these things WITH LITTLE OR NO HELP coming from our sports administrators.
Our starving, ignored, abandoned athletes competing on empty stomachs against well fed, well compensated, better prepared opponents.
This is what makes all these feats EVEN MORE MEMORABLE.