Team Nigeria’s performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, which concluded on Sunday, has been described as the country’s worst outing at the summer event to date. With a final tally of two gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, Nigeria finished the tournament in 40th position, a stark contrast to its previous Paralympic successes.
Despite the overall disappointing result, there were notable achievements during the games. On the final day, Nigerian athlete Folashade Oluwafemiayo made history by breaking her own world record in the women’s over 86 kg para-powerlifting category. Oluwafemiayo lifted an extraordinary 166 kg, becoming the first para-athlete ever to achieve this feat and securing a gold medal for Nigeria.
Earlier in the tournament, Team Nigeria had added three more medals to their tally on the penultimate day. Isau Ogunkunle earned a bronze in the Men’s Singles Class 4 Para Table Tennis event, marking the first individual medal for Nigeria since the Sydney 2000 Games. Bose Omolayo won silver in the Women’s 79kg Para Powerlifting category, lifting 145 kg, while Flora Ugwunwa claimed silver in the Women’s Javelin F54 with a throw of 19.26 meters.
The Paris 2024 performance represents a significant decline for Nigeria in the Paralympics. Historically, Team Nigeria has shown stronger performances:
- Barcelona 1992: Nigeria’s debut saw them win three gold medals, finishing in 21st position with just six athletes.
- Atlanta 1996: The team won three gold, two silver, and three bronze medals, with eight athletes.
- Sydney 2000: Nigeria’s best performance to date, with seven gold, one silver, and five bronze medals.
- Athens 2004: The team claimed five gold, four silver, and three bronze medals.
- Beijing 2008: Nigeria won four gold, four silver, and one bronze medal.
- London 2012: The team matched their Sydney 2000 success with six gold, five silver, and two bronze medals.
- Rio 2016: Nigeria’s best outing, securing eight gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.
- Tokyo 2020: A slight dip with four gold, one silver, and five bronze medals.
The Paris 2024 outing, with only two gold medals, is Nigeria’s lowest medal count since their debut at the Paralympics. Despite the athletes’ efforts and individual successes, the overall performance fell short of the country’s previous achievements.
The Nigerian Paralympic Committee will need to address the challenges faced and strategize for future games to reclaim their standing as a dominant force in Paralympic sports. The team’s performance in Paris highlights the need for continued support and investment in the development of para-athletes to ensure a stronger showing at the next Paralympics.
