Paris 2024: Amusan returns for semis as Team Nigeria battles in wrestling, taekwondo

Today is another crucial day for Team Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with athletes competing in various events across the city.

From taekwondo to wrestling, athletics, cycling, and weightlifting, Nigerian athletes will be giving it their all to bring home medals as we hit Day 14 at the Paris Games.

Leading the line is Tobi Amusan who will be returning to the track for the Women’s 100m Hurdles Semi-Final at 11:05 at the Stade de France.

The 100m Hurdles World Record holder, made a statement at the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning her heat and advancing to the semifinals with a blistering time of 12.49 seconds on Wednesday.

Amusan, fondly referred to as “Tobi Express,” has consistently dominated the 100m Hurdles event, claiming gold medals at the World Championship, Commonwealth Games, African Championship, African Games, and Diamond League.

However, an Olympic medal has remained elusive, with her closest attempt being a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.

Amusan will on Friday be looking to advance to the final and subsequently bring home a medal for Nigeria.

The Men’s 4 x 400m Relay team will also be in action in the Round 1 event.

Combat sports

Elsewhere, Elizabeth Anyanacho will begin her campaign in the taekwondo event as she faces off against Song Jie of China in the Women’s 67kg Round of 16 at the Grand Palais.

Anyanacho will be looking to advance to the next round.

At the Champ-de-Mars Arena, Esther Omolayo Kolawole will compete in the Women’s Freestyle 62kg 1/8 Final against Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan, while Ashton Adeyemi Mutuwa will face Daniel Ligeti of Hungary in the Men’s Freestyle 125kg 1/8 Final.

Other events

In cycling, Ese Ukpeseraye will also be competing in the Women’s Sprint Qualifying event at the Vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

After seeing Rafiatu Lawal finish fifth on Thursday, Team Nigeria will take another shot at a medal in the weightlifting event on Friday.

Joy Ogbonne Eze will compete in the Weightlifting Women’s 71kg Gold Medal Event at the South Paris Arena.

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It’s going to be an exciting day for Team Nigeria, and fans will be cheering them on from around the world.

Full Team Nigeria schedule

TAEKWONDO (Grand Palais)

08:09 – Women -67kg Round of 16 – Elizabeth Oluchi Anyanacho vs. Song Jie (China)

WRESTLING (Champ-de-Mars Arena)

10:00 – Women’s Freestyle 62kg 1/8 Final – Esther Omolayo Kolawole vs. Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan)

10:00 – Men’s Freestyle 125kg 1/8 Final – Ashton Adeyemi Mutuwa vs. Daniel Ligeti (Hungary)

ATHLETICS (Stade de France)

10:05 – Men’s 4 x 400m Relay Round 1 – Nigeria

11:05 – Women’s 100m Hurdles Semi-Final – Tobi Amusan

CYCLING TRACK (Vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines)

13:00 – Women’s Sprint, Qualifying – Ese Ukpeseraye

WEIGHTLIFTING (South Paris Arena)

18:30 – Weightlifting Women’s 71kg (Gold Medal Event) – Joy Ogbonne Eze