Nigeria’s chances on the eve of the strangest Olympics – Sports – The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News

[FILES] Ese Brume is a new record holder for African women

The sports world has been a lively activity last week. As much attention is paid to the game as to the reborn coronavirus.

From ongoing Wimbledon tennis competitions to football in 11 European cities to Euro 2020, athletic events around the world, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and COPA America, qualifying events around the world, and demonstrations in Japan. In the face of the games in the midst of emerging pandemics, it has been a sports explosion everywhere.

It’s hard to imagine that in the midst of all this, the national team chosen by the NFF (as it is not the Super Eagles, as we know Nigeria’s first eleven) domestic league urgently assembled home players went to the US to take the Mexican football team according to the NFF.

Many Nigerians who experienced a humiliating 4-0 loss in a painful match in which the Nigerian party made no serious attack on the Mexican goal area, let alone scoring a goal, suggest it could have been crazier than it was wise to throw newcomers into the deep end of international football. Only time will reveal the victory or psychological harm of such an experiment.

Meanwhile, the world’s biggest football events, COPA America and Euro 2020 in Brazil and 11 European capitals, will end this weekend in Rio De Janeiro and London. South America’s biggest rivals, Brazil, led by Neymar, and Argentina, led by Messi, will be set for an explosive football night whose history is written everywhere, whoever wins. The match is played without an audience !!

Meanwhile, at the other end of the world, in London, Wembley Stadium is electrified with a crowd of 60,000 fans who want to see a new chapter written for English football. Three lions can win over the Azurri to end the 51-year waiting period since England last won the grand international trophy, the 1966 World Cup.

If how the English fought boldly and went past Denmark in the quarterfinals last Wednesday night is what to go for, the world should be ready for a global celebration when they subjugate the Italians. That is my prediction.

On the same day and across the city, London will also host the final match of the Wimbledon Gentlemen Tennis Competition.

I’ll write this before playing the semi-finals, but my heart urges me to wait for the final match between the two new finalists. I am tired of Djokovic in the absence of Federer or Nadal. Tennis definitely needs a new face and a new generation.

After this weekend, all attention will be paid to Tokyo 2020. Without the usual crowd of international sports tourists and the absence of local fans in most places, it will become the strangest Olympics of all time.

The happiness of those in Tokyo must be documented for descendants, which is unlikely to ever be repeated.

I think when the onset of events controlled by television cameras that the world has never seen before, the medal madman completely ignores the fear of the virus. Corona is retreating behind the talks and the world should live with the consequences for some time to come.

I think Covid-19 will be here to stay with humanity for a while. Japan will have to bear the consequences of this huge gamble as the dust of the feet of the last fans and competitors lands after 8 August.

As for the Nigerians, the superior performance of some of their top athletes in the trials held in Lagos (as well as good results from basketball and frying), they have now begun to dream big, and see them as weak opportunities. withdrawing medals as advertised by the country’s sports authorities.

The Nigerian Ministry of Sports has undoubtedly worked hard and done very well to prepare Nigerian athletes for the games despite not having a solid grassroots sports development program to fertilize plenty of inherently talented athletes across the country.

As it should be, the preparation and participation of teams is the responsibility of the federal government through the Sports Development Department of the Ministry of Sports.

A few Olympics ago, the ministry began the initiative with Patrick Ekej creatively by setting up the Team Nigeria marketing concept, which aims to raise additional funds to reduce the government’s financial burden. It did not last a few years before his death. Although it lasted, it went relatively well, but it was not allowed to germinate.

So the Olympics, all the African Games and the Commonwealth Games are the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Sports through the Nigerian Olympic Committee, which registers the country for those international competitions. The Ministry takes full responsibility for the results of the sport.

Then the question arises: where do national unions come into the picture?

The simple answer is that they have their own exclusive list of national and international competitions for which they are responsible. In the Olympics, they only participate at the level that the Ministry of Sports gives them leverage. They may cooperate with the Ministry in all processes leading to the selection of teams and individual athletes, but without taking full or partial responsibility for the results.

In all other domestic and international club and national team competitions, such as the African Cup, National Leagues, FA-Cup, World Cups of clubs and countries, World Championships, competitions owned and organized by international sports federations, which are not products, the International Olympic Committee assumes responsibility to the extent they can successfully, independently fund competitions alone, without government support. When they need and apply for state support, they attach some of their autonomy and rights to the ministry.

But it’s a different thing for another day.

As Nigeria prepares for Tokyo 2020, their particular interest to Nigerians is the medals of their hope. How realistic is it to expect more than a key figure this time around?

Two weeks ago, hopes skyrocketed after athletics trials in Lagos, Nigeria.

For some other sports, expectations rose. Two basketball teams, men and women (going together for the Olympics for the first time in a year), look sharp and ready to throw, both populated with Nigerian basketball players who were born or lived and play in the NBA. They offer an interesting and huge challenge to all opponents in the games. But the medal from both can still be a bridge too far, so far.

Wrestling groups in which women lead the role seem set at least with a medal of any color.

Inspired by Odunayo Adekuoroye’s performance, which ranks 2nd in the world in its weight class, the team can shock the world and bring home one or more medals.

Table tennis at Quadri Aruna and Funke Oshonaiken Duo offers an interesting opportunity. Now ranked 18th in the world, Aruna, which is participating in its third Olympics, is in an area where anything is possible on a good night.

Funke certainly deserves a place in the Guinness Book of Records for her 7th participation in the Olympics, the first African woman in history to achieve this achievement. He is unlikely to rise to the medal podium.

On paper, Nigeria’s best opportunities are at women’s athletics events. The spirit of Nigerians soared after a wind-supported 10.62-second, 100-meter line after Blessing Okagbare in the Nigerian trials, the best time in the world.

Nigerias Okagbarelle has good and bad news.

The good news is that American sprinter Sha Carri Richardson, who was touted as a potential gold medalist just a week ago in the 100m after running the world’s fastest time this year, has been suspended from leaving the team by the U.S. Athletics Federation for illegal substance use by the Olympics. America’s loss seemed to be Nigeria’s victory until we watched Blessing compete against three girls who have been her attackers for at least the last decade.

They are still close. That’s bad news. Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryse, Ivory Coast’s Marie Jose-Ta Lou and trio Elaine Thompson-Herah are all going to the Olympics. On the eve of the Olympics, the trio passed the last 100m race between their latest weekend during the Blessing last weekend at the Istvan Gyula Monument in Budapest, Hungary.

Jamaica’s Sherika Johnson is 200 meters from the fastest times in the European Diamond League. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith is very close to her at the best of times. That medal store can also be closed for blessing.

This means that Nigeria is not an island. Other countries and athletes do not sleep. Nigeria must therefore reassess its potential, especially in Track.

There is more to hope than long jump. The probability of a medal is. The longest jump of all women’s women this year belongs to Nigerian Ese Brume.

The seven-meter mark has remained largely incomprehensible to a generation of jumpers in today’s world. Only Chantel Malone from the British Virgin Islands, Brittney Reese from the United States and Mihambo Malaika from Germany have jumped more than 7 meters this season. But no one beats Eses ’new African record of 7.17 meters. Therefore, his chances are very good for a gold medal.

0n paper, it is about the potential of Nigeria. There will be no medal transfers from Tokyo. Up to 3-5 medals, allowing one gold medal Ese Brume or Odunayo Adekuroye. It could be Nigerian medals when they return home.

Having said that, you will never say anything at the Olympics. On a good night, anything is possible. That’s what Nigerians should pray about as usual – good nights in Tokyo.