Paris 2024: Team Nigeria shifts focus to relays as Brume leads chase for long jump medals

Having failed to make it to the podium in any of the individual races already concluded, Team Nigeria will on Thursday shift focus to the relays as the search for medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games continues.

Apart from Favour Ofili in the 200m and Samuel Ogazi in the 400m events, no Nigerian athlete has made it to the final of their respective events let alone challenge for medals.

Despite what has been a challenging campaign albeit with a handful of positives, the energy will now be channeled to the relay events which some believe the country do have realistic chances (if things go according to the plan).

Both the 4x100m men and women’s team will be competing on Thursday.

The Nigerian 4x100m relay teams have been drawn in heat 1 and 2 of the men and women’s categories, with the men’s team having a much difficult route to make the final.

Nigeria is up against USA, Great Britain, Japan and South Africa in their men’s 4x100m heat.

The women’s team will be up against Great Britain, France and Jamaica.

Long Jump final
Later in the evening, the Nigerian trio of Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro and Prestina Oluchi Ochonogor will be slugging it out in the women’s Long Jump event’s final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Brume, the Nigerian, African, and Commonwealth long jump queen, aims to become the first Nigerian track and field athlete to win two individual medals.

Brume has won medals in virtually all the competitions she has represented Nigeria and would hope to continue in that light at the Paris Olympics.

Debutants Usoro and Ochonogor will also want to give it their best shot in the Long Jump event final billed for the Stade de France.

The Women’s Long Jump event is one of the few where Nigeria has won all the colours of medals at the Olympics.

Photo Odunayo Adekoruye

There will also be action on the wrestling mat as Odunayo Adekoruye another medal prospect gets her campaign underway against Algeria’s Chaimaa Fouzia Aouissi.

Rafiatu Folashade Lawal who will competing in the women’s weightlifting event also holds great promise for a possible medal.

Lawal is the reigning Commonwealth Games champion and has also distinguished herself at several other competitions

Below is the full schedule for Team Nigeria on Day 13 at the Olympic Games

CANOE SPRINT (Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium)

09:30 – Women`s Canoe Single 200m Heats – Ayomide Powei Bello, Beauty Akinaere Otuedo

WRESTLING (Champ-de-Mars Arena Mat B)

10:00 – Women’s Freestyle 57 kg 1/8 Finals – Odunayo Folasade Adekuoroye (NGR) vs Chaimaa Fouzia Aouissi (ALG)

ATHLETICS (Stade de France)

10:10 – Women’s 4x100m Relay Round 1

10:35 – Men’s 4 x 100m Relay Round 1

11:00 – Men’s 800m Repechage Round – Edose Ibadin

18:00 – Women’s Long Jump Final – Ruth Usoro, Ese Brume, Prestina Oluchi Ochonogor

WEIGHTLIFTING (Paris Expo Porte de Versailles)

14:00 – Women`s 59 kg – Rafiatu Folashade Lawal