Team Nigeria will be in action in six events today as the athletics segment of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games begins.
Nigeria’s medal hopes are closely tied to the track and field events, with attention focused on high jumper Temitope Adeshina, women’s discus throwers Ashley Anumba, Chioma Onyekwere, and Obiageri Amaechi, shot put thrower Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, and the mixed 4x400m relay team. These athletes will compete in their respective events’ first rounds at the Stade de France.
National record holder and three-time national champion Adeshina, making her Olympic debut, will compete in the women’s high jump at 9:15 am. With a personal best of 1.97 m, Adeshina is in Group B of the qualification event, which includes 31 other jumpers. She needs to match her qualification mark or be among the top 12 performers to secure a spot in the final.
The evening session will feature former African champion Anumba, Commonwealth Games and two-time African champion Onyekwere, and reigning African Games champion Amaechi in the women’s discus throw.
Amaechi, ahead of her Olympic debut, expressed her excitement about participating alongside two other Nigerian athletes in the event for the first time. “Being here alone is a dream come true, and being part of this historic three is even sweeter. We have all been working hard,” Amaechi said. “All I can ask for is to do my best; you don’t know what God has in stock. I want to do my best; hopefully, that means making it into the finals.”
In between the women’s discus events, two-time African Championships and African Games winner Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will compete in the men’s shot put qualification round.
On the track, Nigeria’s mixed 4x400m relay team will compete in Heat 2, facing strong competitors from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Ireland, the Dominican Republic, and Italy. This marks Nigeria’s second participation in the mixed 4x400m relay, following their debut in Tokyo 2020. The top three countries from the heat will qualify for the final on Saturday.
