Great Britain will be banking on medals from at least nine Nigerian-born sports aces at this year’s Olympic Games in Paris, France.
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This follows confirmation of the roster for Team GB and Northern Ireland heading to Paris later this month to commence the hunt for medals in various sporting events.
Memory is bound to be refreshed about the gold medal-winning feat of Anthony Olaseni Olufemi Joshua at the 2012 Games in London, as another Nigerian-born lad, Delicious Orie, will do battle in boxing.
However, aside from popular events in boxing, athletics and discus, a Nigerian name will also be found splashing through the waters at the Paris 2024 swimming contests.
The Nigerian name to watch out for in swimming belongs to a young lady, Eva Okaro, who will become the first black woman to represent Britain in swimming at the Olympics, after placing second in 50m and 100m freestyle during her adopted country’s trials.
While Okaro will aim to win a historic medal in swimming, the lad hoping to take after Anthony Joshua in the roped square, Delicious Orie, will knock knuckles with his antagonists in 92kg boxing.
Orie, who was born in Moscow to a Nigerian father and Russian mother, won Commonwealth Games gold in 2022 and was also a winner at the European Games in 2023.
Orie and Okaro will lead the way for other ladies and gentlemen that will have Nigerian names on their British garbs, as they run for gold and glory in Paris from the first day of August.
The females to watch out for are Victoria Ohuruogu in women’s 400m and relays, which should slso feature a certain Yemi Mary John, who is seeking her breakthrough into the mainstream of Team GB.
On the male cards are Jeremiah Azu in men’s 100m, Tade Ojora in 110m hurdles and Lawrence Okoye in discus.
Before they all try to bring a revival of Joshua’s heroics of London 2012, Nigerian sports lovers will on Wednesday pray for another goal from Bukayo Saka and more gritty efforts by Eberechi Eze, as the Nigeria-born duo go out against The Netherlands in search of a place in the Euro 2024 final for England’s men’s football team.
