Joel Ajayi
The Super Falcons completed a hat trick of losses at the Paris 2024 Olympics after losing 3-1 to their Japanese counterpart on Wednesday to exit the game with no points.
Before Falcon’s exit , Aruna Quadri, Fatimah Bello, Olajide Omotayo, and Edem Offiong have all been eliminated from the Table Tennis event while Adam Olaore also suffered first-round elimination in the boxing event.
Also, the Nigeria’s captain and African Champion, Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori suffered a disappointing defeat in his second Group game against China’s Li Shi Feng in the Men’s Singles Badminton event at the Paris Olympics.
This loss marks Opeyori’s second defeat at Paris 2024, ending his Olympic journey in the first round.
He joins the Super Falcons, who lost 1-3 to Japan in the women’s football event earlier on Wednesday, as the 7th Nigerian athlete to be eliminated from the games
Football follows the exit route with no media to show, a path charted by Table Tennis and Boxing as none of the athletes made it past the first round.
All attention for medals will now shift to Athletics with the event starting on Thursday August 1st in Paris
A total of 35 Athletes will be competing for honours in their different track and field events.
Expectations are high with the exploits of Tobi Amusan; winning the Gold medal in the 110 meters hurdles at the last World Championship setting a world record in the event.
A podium finish is at least expected as Tobi Amusan is a hot prospect for the gold medal.
Ese Brumen is another athlete’s Nigerians will be backing her for a podium finish in the long jump, the event that gave Nigeria her first ever Gold medal at the Olympics courtesy of the Chioma Ajunwa effort at the Atlanta 96 Olympics.
Other events could spring surprises while Nigerians are anxious to see how the relays will go, though watchers are optimistic that Nigeria could win a medal in the relays.
Recall the 4×4 Relay gave Nigeria the second ever Gold medal in Athletics at the Sydney 2000 in which the American team were stripped off the gold for doping.
How many medals will Athletics return for Team Nigeria, the coming days will provide a definite answer
