Nigeria Concludes Paris 2024 Olympic Games Without Medals, Eyes 2028 Los Angeles Games for Redemption

Nigeria’s campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has officially ended without a single medal, marking the country’s eighth Olympic appearance without a podium finish. A total of 88 athletes represented Nigeria across 12 sports, but hopes were dashed when wrestler Hannah Reuben, the last remaining contender, lost her second-round freestyle match 5-2 to Mongolia’s Davaanasan Amar Enkh on Saturday.

This result makes Paris 2024 Nigeria’s worst Olympic outing since the London 2012 Games. The country’s long history of Olympic struggles began in Helsinki in 1952, with subsequent medal droughts in Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, Mexico City 1968, Moscow 1980, and Seoul 1988. A brief respite came in Tokyo 1964 when Nojeem Mayegun won Nigeria’s first Olympic medal, but disappointment returned once more in Paris.

Despite the absence of medals, there are reasons for optimism as Nigeria looks ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Notable improvements were seen in athletics, where six Nigerian athletes reached the finals—an increase from four in Tokyo 2020 and two in Rio 2016.

Favour Ofili made history as the first Nigerian woman to qualify for the 200m final since Mary Onyali’s achievement at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Additionally, 18-year-old Samuel Ogazi became the first Nigerian man to reach the 400m final since Innocent Egbunike’s appearance in Seoul 1988.

In another milestone, the long jump trio of Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor became the first three Nigerians to reach the final of a single event. Chukwuebuka Enekwechi’s sixth-place finish in the Shot Put final further underscored Nigeria’s growing potential in track and field events.