The Tokyo 2020 Olympics opening ceremony took place around 11:30am Nigerian time today as team Nigeria looks to compete at the World stage in 10 different events.
The events in which team Nigeria will be participating include: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Canoeing, Gymnastics, Rowing, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo and Wrestling.
Basketball (D’Tigers and D’Tigress)
D’Tigers go to Tokyo ranked fourth according to the Olympic power rankings after two impressive wins over the USA and Argentina as they look to challenge for a medal in Japan.
D’Tigress join their male counterparts as the only Nigerian teams with both their male and female national teams in Tokyo and will also look to cause an upset as they look forward to a possible podium finish.
Rowing
Esther Toko was the first Nigerian athlete to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She competed in the heats of the women’s single sculls early on Friday morning and qualified for repechage. She’ll compete for a chance to progress to the quarters on Saturday.
Canoeing
Bello Ayomide just like is Nigeria’s only athlete in the Canoeing Sprint, competing in the Heats of the 200m Singles.
Gymnastics
Uche Eke is the first Nigerian gymnast that will be competing at the Olympics. He will be participating in all seven medal winning events for individual gymnasts: men’s all-around, floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and the horizontal bar.
Athletics
Athletics has always been a huge part of the Olympics and one which could bring Nigeria her biggest medal haul in Tokyo as Nigeria competes in a variety of athletic events.
Women’s 100m: Blessing Okagbare will lead her other compatriots Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha as they compete in the 100m heats.
Men’s 100m: Divine Oduduru leads Raymond Ekevwo, Enoch Adegoke and Usheoritse Itsekiri in the men’s 100m event.
Women’s 100m Hurdles: Tobi Amusan is in good shape and will look to go one better than her last outing at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, when she narrowly missed out on a podium finish.
Triple Jump: National Record holder in the Triple Jump event, Ruth Usoro will be in action for team Nigeria in Tokyo.
Long Jump: Ese Brume who won Bronze at the World Championships in Doha, is a serious medal contender for team Nigeria in this event.
Mixed 4x400m relay: Nigeria ran an African Record of 3:14.09 (the 3rd fastest time in the world this year) in June to qualify as the only African country participating in the inaugural edition of this event at the Olympics.
Hammer Throw: Annette Echikunwoke will compete in the qualification rounds for Nigeria in the hammer event.
Swimming
Abiola Moyosore Ogunbanwo is Nigeria’s only representative in Swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She’s the national record holder in the 200m freestyle.
The 17yr old Russia based athlete will compete for team Nigeria in the women’s 100metres freestyle event.
Taekwondo
Elizabeth Oluchi Anyanacho is Nigeria’s sole representative in Taekwondo. The second ever Nigerian female taekwondo Olympian and the first since 2004.
Table Tennis
Africa’s number 1, Aruna Quadri and team Nigeria’s captain at the Olympics will look to go farther than his 2016 performance where he became the first African to make the quarterfinals at the Olympics.
Quadri leads Olympic debutant, Olajide Omotayo, Offiong Edem and Funke Oshonaike (the first African woman to qualify for seven Olympic games) as they all compete in the singles of the table tennis event.
Wrestling
World number 1 female wrestler, Odunayo Adekuoroye leads Nigeria’s Wrestling charge as a serious medal prospect.
Ekerekeme Agiomor, will be competing in the men’s 86kg event as Nigeria’s only male wrestler in Tokyo.
Badminton
In Badminton, the trio of Dorcas Adesokan (women’s singles), Godwin Olofua and Anuoluwapo (mixed doubles) will fly the nation’s flag in Tokyo.
Now that you have met team Nigeria, LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!
