Nigerians have turned to God to save them from a looming embarrassment of coming out empty-handed at the Paris 2024 Olympics following the elimination of their icon and medal favourite Tobi Amusan.
Ardent Nigerian track fans can’t just believe that for the first time in eight years their decorated 100m hurdler will not be in a final of a major event in her third Olympic Games appearance and probably the last one.
The world 100m hurdles champion who’s also the world record holder (12.12sec) and two-time Commonwealth Games champion as well as thrice African Games gold medallist placed third in the semi-finals and ninth overall missing out on the eight qualifiers for the finals.
There’s a sombre mood in Africa’s most populous nation. Their frustrations further deepened with the disqualification of their impressive men’s 4x400m relay quartet.
As if that was not enough, Nigeria’s long jump Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo, Ese Brume, who was also a medal prospect, flopped when she placed fifth in the final.
Brume was one of two Nigerian medallists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics together with 68kg freestyle wrestler Blessing Oborududu.
Nigeria finished 74th overall and ninth among the 13 African countries which medalled in Tokyo with a silver and a bronze.
Credit: Nenez Media Services
