Team Nigeria For London Olympics 2012. Full List-Updates

[MI5]

Some good news so far... Hope she keeps it up... The hopes of the whole Nation might fall on her shoulders... Stay tuned...


http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... les-semis/

August 6, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

Nigeria’s Ajoke Odumosu is keeping the torch burning as she has qualified for the semi finals of the women’s 400m hurdles.

In the race ran Sunday night at the London Olympic Park, Odumosu finished third in Heat with a time of 54.93secs. Natalya Antyukh of Russia won the heat 2 race.

Odumosu will get the next major test when the semifinals hold on Monday by 8pm. The final race has been fixed for Wednesday for those who can scale the hurdles of the semifinals. Her qualification was the second good news for Nigeria following the qualification into the next stage by Nigeria’s female boxer Edith Ogoke. But it was not very sweet all round Maryam Usman failed to impress in the +75kg weightlifting for women.

[MI5]

Nigerian female boxer reaches quarterfinals.. Goodluck to Edith and go all the way...

August 6, 2012 by Pius Ayinor


http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... terfinals/

Edith Ogoke, the last Team Nigeria boxer standing came out smoking yesterday and punched her way into the quarterfinals at the Olympic Games.

She beat her opponent from Azerbaijan, Vy Stropva Elena, 14-12 to move into the next round where she is expected to fight Russian Torlopova Nadezda on Monday (today) at 4.15pm.

Tough-talking Edith marched her words with punches that rattled her much taller opponent as she led the first round 4-2. Trying to keep the Nigerian at bay with her longer reach, the Azerbaijan fighter fought back but could not contain Edith’s hooks that caught her napping severally. The Nigerian did not surrender her lead even when her opponent fought back and got some punches on target.

[MI5]

Larger-back,

No medals yet o... I look at the medals table everyday to see if anything has changed... I dey worry small small at the way we are losing out so early into the games... Our hopes might fall on one person carrying the touch if things don't change soon.

So no medals for the great Nigeria? MI5?

[MI5]

Usman crashes in weightlifting •China’s Lulu wins gold, sets record

August 6, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... ts-record/

Maryam Usman added to Nigeria’s failure at London 2012 following her last-place finish in the women’s +75kg weightlifting event on Sunday.

The 21-year-old had started well, lifting 129kg in snatch but her unsuccessful attempts at lifting 160kg in clean & jerk pulled her to the bottom of the log with no points in the competition. She even sustained an elbow injury during her second attempt.

China’s Zhou Lulu won gold and set a world record in the competition, coming out on top after a record-breaking head-to-head battle with Russia’s Tatiana Kashirina.

In the first of the two lifting rounds, Kashirina completed a 151kg snatch lift that surpassed her own previous world record for the over-75 kg category by 3kg, giving her a 5kg lead at the halfway stage.

But Zhou overhauled her with a superior performance in the clean and jerk, where she lifted an Olympic record 187kg that also gave her the world record for the combined total across both styles of lift, with 333kg.

Kashirina won the silver, just 1kg behind, while Armenia’s Hripsime Khurshudyan took the bronze with a total of 294 kg.

[MI5]

No tears for crashing out –Regina

August 6, 2012 by Pius Ayinor


http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... ut-regina/

Even in the face of losing in the semifinal race of the women 400m at the London Olympics on Saturday, Regina George didn’t lose her smiles. She waved to the fans and waited to any question from the international media insisting she had nothing to regret.

She returned a time of 51.35secs and finished fifth in Heat 2 at the Olympic Park. She told The PUNCH that the experienced and exposure she got would be helpful in her career.

She said, “I have to be happy always and that is why I am able to smile still. It has been great competing at this level; this is my first Olympics and I’m really excited. All I have to do now is to keep running and running faster.”

The quarter miler who confessed she was very nervous in her first race at the huge arena said the biggest gain from the Olympics is doing away with stage fright.

“Now I’ve conquered nervousness and things can only get better in my next Olympics. I was really worried the first time but this last race was a peaceful one. I was sure that I also can win and that confidence will keep me going better now.

“I’m going back to work harder. I promise that the next time I return, I’ll be on the podium to receive a medal. I was praying to be among the qualifiers and I’ve discovered that I could do better,” the American based said.

[tippy]

Was really hoping Usman could do something- was looking forward to her lift all week. Tactical error making her go over her PB to begin with. She should have lifted the PB (156) , then tried for 160 in the clean and jerk.

even if she failed, she would have come 4th or 5th, which when you need to go cap in hand for investment and sponsorship sounds better than dead last

Not sold on Odumosu. Hopefully she was holding back sha knowing that she only had to finish top 4. the gap in her race was a bit much.

Heard the boxer, Edith talking tough and was hoping to see her fight but supersport chose to inflict synchro swimming on us. thank God she made it thru though.

[MI5]

Metu, Egwero fail to make semis-

August 5, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... ake-semis/

What got going most for Nigeria’s Ogho-Oghene Egwero in the men’s 100m event of the London 2012 Olympics was the fact that he ran in Heat 4 alongside celebrated Usain Bolt of Jamaica. All the cameras were fixed on Bolt and that heat and so the Nigerian enjoyed the limelight while it lasted but failed to qualify from that group into the semi-final stages of the event that wraps up Sunday (today) night.

Egwero finished 6th in that group with a time of 10.38secs while Bolt, who expectedly came first, recorded 10.09.

Obinna Metu who ran in Heat 5 with Asafa Powell improved on his compatriots time and moved up to 10.35 but that could only keep at him in 5th position and he also fail to go through to the next stage. Powell recorded 10.04.

Peter Emelieze had the roughest deal of the three Nigerians that ran on Saturday at the Olympic Park in Stratford. The Nigerian tied at 10.22 with Antoine Adams of Saint Kitts and Nevis but the Nigerian last hope fell off based on reaction timing. Adams recorded a better reaction time of 0.154 to Emelieze’s 0.153 and sneaked into the semi-finals.

Another Jamaican Yohan Blake won that heat with a flat 10.00secs but it was Justin Gatlin 9.97 in the first heat of the day that turned out the fastest time in the men’s event.

The performance of the Nigerian entries may not have come as a surprise to many as the country has paraded only average sprinters in the men’s event in the last four years. Their performance came early enough in the day as Nigerians at the Olympic Park put that outing behind and queued behind the ladies who were billed to run much later in the night.

[tippy]

I'm talking from memory here but if our female boxer can win her next fight, I think we'll be guaranteed a bronze. Pretty sure both losing boxers are guaranteed a bronze.

[anikulapo]

Kaiiii A Whole Country

My In Laws dey yab me without end and for once I no get mouf to come back

[Football Manager]

Some smart guys wanted to play fast one after her Bank apparently sponsored her. In fact they were almost successful in the fraud but according to feelers from the Olympic Village, the Technical Director of the Athletics Board stood firmly against the idea that she was not qualified, she never ran any qualifying A or B times, there was no record of any such approved times anywhere about her and as such she cannot be registered to represent Nigeria.

FM,

Wow interesting didn't know that. I was hearing her name a couple of months ago and thought she was a bright prospect. What happened? Did something go wrong somewhere?

M15,

Esther Obiekwe is not qualified to represent Nigeria in the Marathon. She was never registered and will NEVER be registered now.

[Kako]

I'm talking from memory here but if our female boxer can win her next fight, I think we'll be guaranteed a bronze. Pretty sure both losing boxers are guaranteed a bronze.

Correct

[MI5]

Russia ends Nigeria’s boxing hopes

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... ing-hopes/

August 7, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

Nigeria’s remaining boxer at the Olympics, Edith Ogoke, was knocked out of the medal contest on Monday as she succumbed to the supremacy of Nadezda Torlopova of Russia with the match ending 18-8.

Ogoke raised the nation’s hopes by beating Elena Vystropa of Azerbaijan on Sunday to reach the quarterfinals; her feat coming after two other Nigerian boxers were eliminated last week.

Muideen Akanji, fighting in the men’s middleweight category, did not advance beyond the round of 32 after losing to Darren O’Neill of Ireland. Lukmon Lawal also lost in the light heavyweight category’s round of 32 to Ihab Al-Matbouli of Jordan.

In the women’s middleweight quarterfinal which was decided on Monday, Ogoke clearly had little chance against the taller Russian who was also technically superior to her Nigerian opponent.

[MI5]

Okagbare shifts focus to long jump

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... long-jump/

August 7, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

Beijing 2008 long jump bronze medallist Blessing Okagabre will refocus on the event that gave her and Nigeria a medal at the last Olympics. The USA-based athlete joins others as the long jump events starts Tuesday (today) at the main arena of the Olympic Park in Stratford, London.

It is the chance for the athlete the country’s contingent placed so much hope on picking a medal from the London Games.

The sprinter lost out in the 100m chase for medal when she finished last, complaining bitterly about cramps. But she has since the sad outing of Saturday vowed to redeem the expectations with the jump.

“Now it is over with this (100m) and as I said it is tough to explain what went wrong. But I am putting that behind me and turning my attention to the long jump. And I am hopeful that things will fall in place properly this time,” she said on Sunday.

The qualifying rounds for the women’s long jump will start 7.05pm on Tuesday while the final takes place the following day. The Wednesday event is scheduled to hold by 8.05pm.

The Nigerian delegation placed a lot of hope on the athlete before the contingent arrived in London and now the expectation on Okagbare has hit the sky following the dismal performance of the country in other areas. The table tennis squad was eliminated just 48hours after the opening ceremony. On Sunday, Maryam Usman slipped from the medals zone to the bottom of the log in weightlifting.

Gloria Asunmu and Christy Udoh added to Nigeria’s woes when they both failed to make the semi-finals of the women’s 200m event.

Udoh posted a better time of the two with 23.19 seconds but that could only give her a fifth position in Heat 1. She ran first and had to go first.

Asunmu joined the fray with Heat 3 and finished a poorer sixth in 23.43 seconds. She was in the group which America’s Carmelita Jeter came first with Abiodun Oyepitan of Great Britain in second position.

The women still have the 4x100m relay but after a review of their individual performances, the realistic bet for Nigeria is on the long jump and the taekwondo featuring Team Nigeria captain Chika Chuwkwumerije.

[MI5]

Odumosu reaches 400m hurdles final- Finally some good news today... I watched the race and she did very well... Hope she maintains the same way she ran and get that elusive medal the whole country is waiting for...


August 7, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... les-final/

Nigeria’s hopes of winning a medal in London was brightened Monday night as Ajoke Odumosu powered into the final of women’s 400m hurdles.

The athlete, who represented Nigeria in Beijing 2008 Olympics, made a good start in the semifinal race heat three, as she ensured that she reached the corner in good position. She them pushed further, ending the race in first position with a time of 54.40 seconds.

Moline Georganne of Great Britain came second and also qualified for the final but the positive in Odumosu’s feat is the time she recorded. Her personal best was 54.59 seconds and her season’s best was 54.75 seconds.

Odumosu must however run faster on Wednesday in the final because there are other athletes who returned better time in two other heats on Monday.

Anryukh Natalya of Russia will approach the final as favourites, having returned a time of 53.33 seconds in the semifinals. Czech Republic’s Hejnova Zuzana is another threat to Odumosu’s pursuit with atime of 53.62 in the semifinals. Demus Lashinda of Britain is also ahead of the Nigerian athlete because of superior timing in yesterday’s heat.

[MI5]

Medal tableCountry ● ● ● Total As of Today August 6, 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/olympics-2012 ... get=medals

Gold, Silver, Bronze= Total



G S B= T
1.ChinaChina 31 19 14 64

2.USAUSA 29 15 19 63

3.Great BritainGreat Britain 18 11 11 40

4.South KoreaSouth Korea 11 5 6 22

5.FranceFrance 8 9 9 26

6.RussiaRussia 7 17 18 42

7.ItalyItaly 7 6 4 17

8.KazakhstanKazakhstan 6 0 1 7

9.GermanyGermany 5 10 7 22

10.HungaryHungary 4 1 3 8

11.North KoreaNorth Korea 4 0 1 5

12.NetherlandsNetherlands 3 3 4 10

13.CubaCuba 3 3 1 7

14.BelarusBelarus 3 2 3 8

15.New ZealandNew Zealand 3 1 4 8

16.South AfricaSouth Africa 3 1 0 4

17.UkraineUkraine 3 0 6 9

18.JapanJapan 2 12 14 28

19.AustraliaAustralia 2 12 8 22

20.DenmarkDenmark 2 4 2 8

20.RomaniaRomania 2 4 2 8

22.BrazilBrazil 2 1 5 8

23.PolandPoland 2 1 3 6

24.IranIran 2 1 1 4

24.JamaicaJamaica 2 1 1 4

26.CroatiaCroatia 2 1 0 3

27.EthiopiaEthiopia 2 0 2 4

28.CanadaCanada 1 3 6 10

29.SwedenSweden 1 3 2 6

30.Czech RepublicCzech Republic 1 3 1 5

31.KenyaKenya 1 2 2 5

32.SloveniaSlovenia 1 1 2 4

33.Dominican RepublicDominican Republic 1 1 0 2

33.GeorgiaGeorgia 1 1 0 2

33.SwitzerlandSwitzerland 1 1 0 2

36.LithuaniaLithuania 1 0 1 2

37.GrenadaGrenada 1 0 0 1

37.VenezuelaVenezuela 1 0 0 1

39.MexicoMexico 0 3 2 5

40.ColombiaColombia 0 3 1 4

41.SpainSpain 0 2 1 3

42.EgyptEgypt 0 2 0 2

43.SlovakiaSlovakia 0 1 3 4

44.AzerbaijanAzerbaijan 0 1 2 3

44.BelgiumBelgium 0 1 2 3

44.IndiaIndia 0 1 2 3

47.ArmeniaArmenia 0 1 1 2

47.IndonesiaIndonesia 0 1 1 2

47.MongoliaMongolia 0 1 1 2

47.NorwayNorway 0 1 1 2

47.SerbiaSerbia 0 1 1 2

47.TunisiaTunisia 0 1 1 2

53.CyprusCyprus 0 1 0 1

53.EstoniaEstonia 0 1 0 1

53.GuatemalaGuatemala 0 1 0 1

53.MalaysiaMalaysia 0 1 0 1

53.ThailandThailand 0 1 0 1

53.TaiwanTaiwan 0 1 0 1

59.GreeceGreece 0 0 2 2

59.MoldovaMoldova 0 0 2 2

61.ArgentinaArgentina 0 0 1 1

61.Hong KongHong Kong 0 0 1 1

61.Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia 0 0 1 1

61.KuwaitKuwait 0 0 1 1

61.Puerto RicoPuerto Rico 0 0 1 1

61.QatarQatar 0 0 1 1

61.SingaporeSingapore 0 0 1 1

61.Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago 0 0 1 1

61.TurkeyTurkey 0 0 1 1

61.UzbekistanUzbekistan 0 0 1 1

[tippy]

Nigeria L O L

[MI5]

Some good news out of this.. Hope these guys make it happen...

Nurudeen, Oke, revive Nigeria’s medal hopes

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... dal-hopes/


August 8th, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

Team Nigeria’s hopes of winning at least a medal in athletics at the 2012 Olympic Games in London were on Tuesday revived with good results in some events.

Selim Nurudeen qualified for Wednesday’s semi-finals in the men’s 110 metres hurdles by placing second in heat six with a time of 13.51 seconds for a personal best.

It was however to his credit that the overseas-based 29-year-old did not allow the distractions of the race to drag him away from reaching the limits he got to at Beijing 2008.

A semi-finalist in the same event at the last Olympics, Nurudeen kept his cool in spite of the misfortune which befell the race’s gold medal favourite.

Olympics record holder Liu Xiang from China had failed to compete at home then, owing to injury, and had been the favourite this time in the build-up to the Games. But, running from lane four, he clattered into the first hurdle and fell to drop out of the race, and he was later taken out of the stadium in a wheelchair.

Nurudeen will run in Wednesday’s semi-finals slated for 19.15pm with hopes of a place in the final scheduled for two hours later.

NAN reports that Seun Adigun had late on Monday failed to go beyond round one in the event’s women race, the 100 metres hurdles, finishing fourth with 13.56 in heat two.

In the men’s triple jump, Tosin Oke, who has a 17.23 metres season best qualified for Thursday’s final from after his jump of 16.83 placed him fifth.

He had a first jump of 16.59 and failed the jump in his third, but his second jump was enough to place him among the top 12 for the final scheduled for Thursday 19.20pm.

[MI5]

It gets worse everyday out of London.. Panic Mode in full effect...

Okagbare crashes out of long jump

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... long-jump/

August 8, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

Beijing Olympics bronze medallist in long jump, Blessing Okagbare, followed her disastrous final outing in the women’s 100m with another poor performance in the long jump as she failed to make the final on Tuesday.

Okagbare finished in the ninth position from group A with 6.34. The group was won by Great Britain’s Proctor Shara with 6.87. Her loss once again diminished Nigeria’s chances of getting a medal at the London Olympics. He only hope of redemption now lies in the 4x100m race which starts on Thursday.

Meanwhile, partners of the Nigeria Olympic Committee to the London 2012 Games, First Bank have said they are still standing by the athlete despite her failure in London so far.

Head Marketing and Corporate Communications for the bank, Folake Ani-Mumuney said that the athlete who is also the bank’s Brand Ambassador to the Olympics will continue to get the support of the organisation and Nigerians even beyond her participation in the long jump.

She said, “Greatness beckons loudly to Blessing and we are confident that she will still help Nigeria win a medal in London. Blessing is a focussed athlete and her dedication and reach for glory are some of the values spotted by the bank in her when we chose her as our worthy ambassador for the Olympics.

“Now it is over with this 100m and as I said it is tough to explain what went wrong. But I am putting that behind me and turning my attention to the long jump. And I am hopeful that things will fall in place properly this time,” she said on Sunday,” Okagbare said before the failure in long jump on Tuesday.

[MI5]

Odumosu fails in hurdles final


http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... les-final/


August 9, 2012 by

Pius Ayinor

Nigeria’s 400m hurdler, Ajoke Odumosu, on Wednesday finished on a disappointing note despite beginning the Games on brightly.

The 2010 Commonwealth gold medallist who is also the current African champion in her event, finished eighth in the final after a difficult start to the race, cruising home in 55.31 seconds. Her personal-best is 54.40.

Russia’s Natalya Antyukh ran a personal-best to win gold, while American Lashinda Demus got the silver with her season-best. Czech Republic’s Zuzana Hejnova won bronze.

Odumosu was obviously heartbroken after the race as she admitted that her faulty start caused her poor finish.

She said, “It’s a pity I hit the very first hurdle and couldn’t recover from that. I did my best not to panic when that happened but it was tough catching up afterwards.”

Antyukh took the lead around the final curve and held off Demus, who was about a half-stride behind.

Antyukh, the 2004 Olympic gold medallist, crossed the line in 52.70 seconds. Demus, the current world champion, was timed in a season-best 52.77 seconds. Hejnova finished in 53.38 seconds, a season-best for her.

[MI5]

Oborodudu, Nurudeen out


August 9, 2012

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... udeen-out/

by Pius Ayinor

Nigeria’s hope of getting a medal at the Games further diminished on Wednesday after wrestler Blessing Oborodudu lost 3-0 to Poland’s Monika Michalik in the women’s 63kg freestyle.

Oborodudu had qualified for the Olympics through the African and Oceania Wrestling qualifiers in Morocco where she impressed the technical crew led by Daniel Igali

Her weight class had 20 competitors. In her pool were wrestlers from Russia, China, People’s Republic of Korea, Turkey, Cuba, Kazakstan, Ukraine and Guinea Bissau.

Nigeria’s next event in wrestling comes up today as Amarachi Obiajunwa competes against Jiao Wang of China in the 72kg freestyle.

Obiajunwa also qualified from the contest in Morocco and is tipped to finish the Games with a medal.

The two men in the wrestling team – d#$% Adibo and Sinivie Boltic – will compete in the 84kg and 96kg categories respectively on Saturday and Sunday.

Nigeria also crashed out in the men’s 110m hurdles on Wednesday following Selim Nurudeen’s fifth-place finish in heat two.

American Aries Merritt and Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados finished ahead of the pack in 12.94 and 13.23 seconds respectively to qualify for the final.

[MI5]

Isah beaten in taekwondo contest

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... o-contest/


August 10, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

Nigeria’s Isah Mohammed lost out in the Taekwondo event of the London Olympics on Thursday in yet another failed bid for a medal by the country. He lost to Abulibdeh Mohhamad of Jordan in the -68 category for men in the preliminary round on Thursday.

He was beaten just as the Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi was issuing an officially tatement on the failure of the Team Nigeria in London Olympics. The Jordanian defeated him by 13-1 to move into the quarter finals.

The Jordanian was then beaten a few hours later in the 75 by Silva Diogo of Brazil for the semifinals spot. Chika Chukwumerije who is also captain of Team Nigeria is the only Nigerian left in the event, shouldering the hopes of salvaging a medal for Nigeria.

[Mr. Piffington]

This thread fills me with laughter...then rage...but mostly laughter.

[MI5]

POOR, POOR OUTING!

http://www.punchng.com/london-2012-olym ... or-outing/


August 11, 2012 by Pius Ayinor

The London Games have brought joy to many across the world in various forms. To the tourists, it is a special period to visit London; to the local businesses in London, the Games have brought great returns. But most importantly, to the athletes, their dreams of owning a precious metal have either been realised or dashed. Team Nigeria falls in the last category where the athletes have nothing to show for their being in London.

Before their departure for the Olympics, the athletes were feted by the Federal Government, especially for dominating at the African Athletics Championships in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin. Not a few of them were tipped to win medals at the London Games, going by their form.

To further raise the hopes of Nigerians that all would be well in London, Team Nigeria’s assistant captain and Beijing bronze medallist, Blessing Okagbare, shocked the world when she beat world champion Carmelita Jeter in the women’s 100m dash at the London Grand Prix about a week to the start of the Games. Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished last in the race.

Ironically, Okagbare finished last in the women’s 100m at the Olympics, while the two women she beat at the Grand Prix – Fraser-Pryce and Jeter – won gold and silver respectively.

Okagbare had posted a personal-best of 10.93 during the heat so her 11.01 seconds in the final could only be explained as cramp-inhibited.

Okagbare was like a beacon in the team so after her failure in the sprint, hope was still bright she would get it right in the long jump and the relay. But her 6.34-metre jump was the 17th best in the pool of 28.

The Delta State-born athlete was not the only one that got it wrong in London. Save for Ajoke Odumosu, who made it to the women’s 400m hurdles final, and Tosin Oke, who also reached the men’s triple jump final, every other athlete bungled their chances.

It would by hypocritical to say no one expected the poor outing in London. Some pundits saw the disaster coming, but the preparation from the National Sports Commission fooled the nation into believing all would be well.

With a budget of N2bn for 44 athletes in seven sports, not many would have suspected something was wrong

“I knew something was wrong right from the beginning. It was obvious the athletes would fail when you observe that they had very poor preparation for the Games,” Toni Urhobo, a former president of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, said after watching the ahtletes’ dismal performance on the tracks.

Urhobo, a former athlete and a coach, has always been an advocate of intensive training of athletes at home rather than going abroad.


He said, “It is funny that the NSC is just seeing where they got it wrong. You don’t expect to shine at the Olympics with shoddy preparations. About seven months ago, I advised the AFN on starting a training camp immediately for the athletes but they didn’t take me seriously.

“It baffles me when I read in the papers that the Nigeria Olympic Committee is blaming poor facilities and coaching techniques for the team’s failure in London. Sani Ndanusa is the NOC chairman, what did he do as the Minister of Sports to hire the best coaches for the various disciplines or install quality facilities for our sports?


“I’m happy they’ve realised the problem is from the administrators. We have to start the preparation for the next Olympics by hiring quality coaches now.”

Besides athletics, boxing used to be a strong point for Nigeria at major championships, but recently it has been on the decline. The London Olympics could pass as the worst outing for Nigerian boxers in recent times.


With an impressive showing at the 2011 All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique, where Nigerian boxers won one silver and three bronze medals, the team, comprising Muideen Akanji, Lukman Lawal and Edith Ogoke, were expected to finish the London Games with medals. Unfortunately, only Ogoke made it beyond the first round.


“I thought if anyone should win it would be Akanji. He is a bright boxer that has the potential of being a champion but only a very good coach can get the best out of him,” boxing coach, Ajani Aremu, said.

“The worst thing anyone could do to boxers is to hire the wrong coaches for them. The worst was only waiting to happen when the NSC hired an someone who knew nothing about the sport to head the technical department. What kind of tip would you expect from him to give the boxers in the ring?

“All the sports in Nigeria have been politicised; the administrators don’t always appoint the best coaches so I was not really surprised that Nigeria crashed the way we did.”

Basketball was not spared in the criticism. It was generally agreed that D’Tigers were impressive in their first Olympic campaign, but some believe they could still have done better had the officials done the right thing months before the Games.

The players only spent two and a half weeks together before playing the Olympic qualifiers in Venezuela and had about two weeks more before their first game against Tunisia in London.

Dodan Warriors coach, Dauda Adeku, said the team’s achievement of qualifying for the Olympics was overshadowed by their wide-margin loss to the USA.

He said, “If not for the victory over Tunisia, it would have been a terrible outing. But the problem I have with the team is that one or two of our players from the domestic league should have been given a role in the team. If we claim to have one of the most vibrant leagues in Africa we should show it.

“When the coaches knew they would be having new players in the team, they should have done that long before the Games so that they could have time to blend. Also, their games revealed that the team should have had more coaches to form a more knowledgeable technical team.

“We should have learnt our lessons by now and begin to do the right thing as we prepare for the 2013 Afrobasket and subsequently the World Championship.”

The Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, admitted on Thursday that Nigeria had depended more on luck than hard work.

“Our inability to win any medal so far is as disappointing for my team and myself and for all Nigerians everywhere,” he said during a review of Team Nigeria’s performance in the Games.

“This is a clear testimony to how far our sports has fallen behind. We have been hoping too much on luck, but for once, God is telling us he’s not a magician.”

The United States are topping the medals table, toppling China which had spent the longest time at the peak during the Games.

Christian Taylor’s 17.82-metre leap in the men’s triple jump propelled the USA above their rivals, putting their medals total at 90. The USA team now has 39 gold, 25 silver and 26 bronze medals.

China, who will be looking forward to additional medals in the taekwondo event on Friday and Saturday, has 37 gold, 24 silver and 19 bronze medals.

The Chinese topped the medals table at the last Olympics in Beijing where they carted away a total of 100 medals – 51 gold, 21 silver, 28 bronze – to beat the USA which had 36 gold, 38 silver and 36 bronze medals.