Nigeria’s failure at the London 2012 Olympics is still very fresh in the minds of Nigerians because the athletes failed to win any medal in the eight sports the country featured.
It was the first time since the 1988 Seoul Olympics that Nigeria would end their campaign without a medal despite spending over N2bn for the London Games.
The failure has necessitated a radical change in Nigeria’s sports sector as the Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Bolaji Abdullahi, vows to make significant progress before the next Games in Rio, Brazil.
But the nation stands to redeem itself if all goes well at the next major competition in London – the Paralympics – which starts today and scheduled to end on September 9.
Unlike the team Nigeria presented at the Olympics which had 53 athletes, the Paralympic team are made of 29 athletes and will be featuring in just four sports.
With 16 athletes in powerlifting, nine in track and field, two in table tennis and two in tennis, history is in favour of the team to achieve success where others failed.
At Beijing 2008 Paralympics, the team of 28 athletes came back with four gold, four silver and one bronze medal, while at the Athens 2004 Paralympics the team made of 14 athletes returned home with five gold, four silver and three bronze medals.
One good thing about the team in London is that some of the athletes who won medals at the last Paralympics in Beijing have also been included for the London Games; but like the last Games, they face similar problems whereby they will compete with out-modelled wheelchairs. The National Sports Commission have promised the athletes modern wheelchairs for the Games but it remained to be seen if the NSC will keep their promise.
In spite of the odds, Nigerian athletes are known to dominate the women’s powerlifting, while the wheelchair tennis team of Alex Adewale and Wasiu Yusuf are expected to spring a surprise.
The London Games will be Yusuf’s second Paralympics after making his debut in Beijing, but Adewale’s first. The players got were awarded a wildcard by the International Tennis Federation following their impressive performance at the World Team Cup in South Korea in May where they defeated highly-ranked Switzerland and fought hard against Germany and Australia in their group.
Adewale, who has promised to finish in the medals range in London, is Nigeria’s number one, ahead of Yusuf.
Beijing Paralympics gold medallist Eucharia Iyiazi is still considered as one of the best in shot put and discus throw events after winning in category F57/F58 of both events at the Games.
Her teammate, Lucy Ejike, is also packed with Paralympic experience after competing at Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games. Ejike was confined to the wheelchair due to polio but that did not stop her from winning gold medals in powerlifting at the 2004 and 2008 Games. She did not only win gold in Beijing but also broke the world record twice by lifting 130kg.
Victoria Nneji and Grace Anozie are also in the team in London. Both athletes won silver medals in their respective powerlifting events in Beijing. Men’s powerlifter Obioma Aligekwe will, however, be searching for his first medal at the Games after failing to impress in Beijing in 2004.
Curled from : Punch
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