Full list of Nigeria’s Olympic Team for Paris 2024
Nigeria’s team for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics has been revealed, and sports fans across the country are eager to see their athletes compete on the world stage.
The event is set to start on July 26 in the French capital, with Nigeria participating in its first Olympics since its debut in Helsinki in 1952, except for the 1976 boycott.
A total of 82 Nigerian athletes will compete in at least 11 different sports. Athletics, or track and field, makes up the largest part of the team with 32 athletes. Football comes next with an 18-woman squad, followed by basketball with 12 players.
For the first time since 2016, Nigeria will send three boxers to the Olympics: Dolapo Omole (men’s featherweight), Olaitan Olaore (men’s heavyweight), and Cynthia Ogunsemilore (women’s lightweight). They secured their spots by reaching the finals in qualifying tournaments.
Here’s a breakdown of Nigeria’s competitors by sport and gender:
- Athletics (Track and Field): 14 men, 18 women
- Badminton: 1 man
- Basketball: 12 women
- Boxing: 2 men, 1 woman
- Canoeing: 2 women
- Cycling: 1 woman
- Football: 18 women
- Table Tennis: 2 men, 2 women
- Taekwondo: 1 woman
- Weightlifting: 2 women
- Wrestling: 1 man, 5 women
Athletics:
Men’s 100 m
Favour Ashe
Godson Oghenebrume
Kayinsola Ajayi
Udodi Onwuzurike Men’s 200 m
Emmanuel Bamidele Men’s 400 m
Samuel Ogazi
Chidi Okezie
Edose Ibadin Men’s 800 m
Ezekiel Nathaniel Men’s 400 m hurdles
Men’s 4 × 400 metres relay
Women’s 100 m
Rosemary Chukwuma
Favour Ofili
Tima Godbless
Favour Ofili Women’s 200 m
Tima Godbless
Ella Onojuvwevwo Women’s 400 m
Esther Joseph
Tobi Amusan Women’s 100 m hurdles
Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi Men’s shot put
Chinecherem Nnamdi Men’s javelin throw
Temitope Adeshina Women’s high jump
Ruth Usoro Women’s long jump
Ese Brume Women’s Long jump
Prestina Oluchi Ochoogor
Obiageri Amaechi (Women’s discus throw )
Ashley Anumba
Chioma Onyekwere
Oyesade Olatoye Women’s hammer throw
Women’s 4 × 100 metres relay
Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay
Prestina Oluchi Ochoogor
Obiageri Amaechi
Women’s discus throw
Ashley Anumba
Chioma Onyekwere
Oyesade Olatoye Women’s hammer throw
Basketball:
D’Tigress: The Nigerian women’s Bsketball team, De Tigress qualified for her second consecutive Olympics
The Nigerians competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in basketball, one of ten events their national teams qualified for. The team went 0–5 in the preliminary round. In the 11/12th place game, they defeated the Korea for a final finish of 11th out of 12 teams With this win, they became the first women’s African basketball team to win a game at the Olympics.
De Tigress qualified for the Paris Olympics by finishing in the top two eligible nations at the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in Antwerp, Belgium.
Nigeria is grouped alongside Canada, Australia and France
According to FIBA, schedule:
29 July 2024 Nigeria vs. Australia
1 August 2024 France vs. Nigeria
4 August 2024 Canada vs. Nigeria
Boxing
For the first time since 2016, Nigeria entered three boxers into the Olympic tournament. Dolapo Omole (men’s featherweight), Olaitan Olaore (men’s heavyweight) and Cynthia Ogunsemilore (women’s lightweight) secured spots in their respective divisions by advancing to the final match and win the 2023 African Olympic Qualification Tournament in Dakar, Senegal.
Dolapo Omole Men’s featherweight
Olaitan Olaore Men’s heavyweight
Cynthia Ogunsemilore Women’s lightweight
The boxing competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are scheduled to run from 27 July to 10 August. Preliminary boxing matches will occur at Arena Paris Nord in Villepinte, with the medal rounds staged at the iconic Roland Garros Stadium.
Canoeing : Sprint
2 Nigerian female canoeists qualified one boat for the Games through the gold medal result in the C-2 500 metres event at the 2023 African Olympic in Abuja, Nigeria.
Ayomide Bello, Beauty Otudeo Women’s C-2 500 mQ
Cycling (Road Race)
Nigeria qualified one rider, Ese Ukpeseraye who will compete in the women’s road race. She qualified by finishing in the top two at the 2023 African Championships in Accra, Ghana.
Football:
Nigeria women’s football team qualified for the Olympics by winning the fourth round match in the 2024 CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament. The Super Falcons defeated the Banyana Banyana of South Africa 1-0 in the two legged fixture to qualify. The Falcons will be returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2016.
Team roster
Nigeria named a squad of 18 players and 4 alternates for the tournament on 3 July 2024.
Full list:
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC); Tochukwu Oluehi (Shualat Alsharqia FC, Saudi Arabia).
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Nicole Payne (Portland Thorns FC, USA); Chidinma Okeke (Mynavi Sendai Ladies, Japan).
Midfielders: Deborah Abiodun (University of Pittsburgh, USA); Halimatu Ayinde (FC Rosengard, Sweden); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Jennifer Echegini (Juventus Ladies, Italy); Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain).
Forwards: Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid FC, Spain); Esther Okoronkwo (Changchun FC, China); Asisat Oshoala (Bay FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA); Chiwendu Ihezuo (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Chinonyerem Macleans (Locomotiv Moscow, Russia).
Meanwhile, there are also some players who could be called upon if there are injuries to the 18 players.
Alternate Players: Jumoke Alani (Nasarawa Amazons); Ifeoma Onumonu (Utah Royals, USA); Gift Monday (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Morufa Ademola (Rivers Angels).
The Super Falcons are in Group C of the Olympics female football tournament alongside Spain, Brazil, and Japan.
25 July 2024 19:00 Nigeria vs Brazil @ Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
28 July 2024 19:00 Spain vs Nigeria @ Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
31 July 2024 17:00 Japan vs Nigeria @ Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Table Tennis
Nigeria entered four table tennis players into Paris 2024. Olajide Omotayo, Offiong Edem and Fatimo Bello qualified for the games following their winning one of six available quota places, in their respective event, at the 2024 African Qualification Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda. Quadri Aruna also qualified as the highest rank African table tennis player.
Quadri Aruna Men’s singles
Olajide Omotayo
Offiong Edem Women’s singles Fatimo Bello
Taekwondo
Nigeria qualified one athlete to compete at the games. Tokyo 2020 Olympian Elizabeth Anyanacho qualified for Paris 2024 following her victory in the semifinal round in under 67 kg class, at the 2024 African Qualification Tournament in Dakar, Senegal.
Weightlifting
Nigeria entered two weightlifters into the Olympic competition namely Rafiatu Lawal (women’s 59 kg) and Joy Ogbonne Eze (women’s 71 kg) secured two of the top ten slots in their weight divisions based on the IWF Olympic Qualification Rankings.
Rafiatu Lawal Women’s “59 kg Joy Ogbonne Eze Women’s “71 kg
Nigeria’s athletes are ready to showcase their talent and compete for medals in Paris, continuing the country’s tradition of strong performances at the Summer Olympics.