Women of Team Nigeria shaped history for good at the just concluded 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, where Team Nigeria finished 74th on the medal table with two medals – Silver and Bronze.
Nigeria’s overall performance saw them finish 74th in the world and 8th best from Africa.
The sportswomen gave the country showmanship to cheer on. Like the official beer for the games, STAR Lager, these women have brought a brighter shine to the country with their notable achievements. Here is a list of memorable feats achieved by 5 women of Team Nigeria at the Olympic games.
1. Ese Brume – Women’s Long Jump
Ese Brume won Nigeria’s first medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She won a bronze medal after finishing third with a 6.97m jump in the women’s long jump two days after qualifying for the finals with a 6.76m jump.
2. Blessing Oborududu – Women’s Wrestling
Blessing Oborududu won a silver medal for Nigeria at the finals, in the 68kg women’s freestyle wrestling event. The medal she won is the second and last medal won for Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.
3. Tobi Amusan – Women’s 100m Hurdles
Team Nigeria’s Oluwatobiloba Amusan, came fourth in the finals competition of Women’s 100m hurdles. It’s a second-time feat she has achieved at a major competition in 2 years.
4. Abiola Ogunbanwo – Swimming
Swimmer Abiola Ogunbanwo broke Ngozi Monu’s long-standing Nigerian record of 1 minute (1:00.50), held since 2007 to become the first Nigerian woman to finish a 100m freestyle in under a minute at 59.74 seconds.
5. Grace Nwokocha – Women’s 100m Dash
Nigerian track and field athlete Grace Nwokocha, representing Nigeria in the women’s 100m dash, qualified for the semifinals of the event, but got knocked out of the competition. Co-sprinter Blessing Okagbare also qualified for the semi-finals, but she got suspended shortly after by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
As Nigeria continues to celebrate Ese Brume and Blessing Oborududu for the medals brought home, it is a big feat that the female athletes of Team Nigeria advanced as far as they did in the competition, and it sure deserves commendation.
